Not too long ago, we had a couple of wood ducks come and visit us at our corn feeders. They were there for two days. I could tell the boy duck because of his nice helmet and vibrant colors.
Anyway, so many times when I see animals in the “wild” of our world, I want to be friends with them. I swear. If I could have a superpower, I think it might be the ability to talk with animals.
Yes, I realize I talk about animals a lot here on this blog. But the fact is, there are way more animals on Earth than there are humans. And a large faction of humans continues to trounce all over animals, for the most part, without much consideration.
That is why I think we should advocate. Animals are thinking, feeling, wonderful creatures.
I recently read an article about the “smartest” pets and animals in the world. There is no shortage of these types of articles, and everyone seems to have a varying opinion on who’s at the head of the class.
But the truth is, some animals are smarter than others. And. I always say the divide between human and animal intelligence isn’t as vast as we may think. In some ways, I think they are smarter. So, how do you rank the world’s smartest pets? It’s oftentimes a tough call because you’re pitting species against species. But there are some animals in the world, domesticated and wild, that have reputations for having high intelligence.
Here are ten of them.
Let’s start with pets. The top five smartest, according to the report.
1. African Grey Parrots
These smarty birds are best known for their human language comprehension and accurate mimicry. However, researchers have found that they also have extensive problem-solving skills and excellent memories that allow them to surpass the cognitive abilities of a human toddler.
African Greys can identify objects, memorize patterns, and problem-solve faster than an average 5-year-old. Feathered Einsteins.
2. Pigs
George Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm” might be closer than you think.
Pigs have the spatial awareness and memorization abilities of a human toddler. They also demonstrate high levels of social and emotional intelligence with other pigs. Party down, Pigs! Not only that, they communicate with a wide variety of nonhuman animals outside of their species. See Charlotte’s Web.
3. Dogs
They are more than loyal companions. Researchers believe that the average intelligence of domesticated dogs ranks on par with human 3-year-olds. They also say that intelligence varies significantly between dog breeds. Even within breeds, if you ask me.
The border collie, for instance, is the smartest breed. Then come poodles, German shepherds, and golden retrievers. And Lou.
An average dog can also learn words and understand emotions. They save people. The drug bust. They find bombs. They’re service animals. They’re awesome.
4. Cats
The ancient Egyptians considered the cat a sacred god on Earth. And trust me. The cats have never forgotten this.
They rank high on the intelligence scale because of their deduction skills and reasoning. They are also up there because of their ability to thrive in their environments. Like when they ring their little bells, and tell you to bring them a plate of tuna.
5. Rats and Mice
Oh yeah. My mice. Despite having poor eyesight, rats and mice are able to utilize their excellent memory and problem-solving skills to solve mazes and complex tests. For this reason, they are often forced into the service of laboratory experiments and (often cruel) scientific testing.
Studies have also show that rats return human affection, enjoy playing, and can even produce chirping laughter when tickled. This ability to love and laugh has inspired animal rights activists to protest using rodents and other creatures in harmful experiments.
And then on to the wild kingdom.
1. Great Apes
They learn human words and sign language. They can even comprehend abstract ideas like identifying objects and concepts not currently present in their environment.
2. Dolphins
They’ve been called the humans of the sea. Dolphins have complex communication structures. They are problem solvers. They are just plain old smart. They use their high intelligence to form social groups, use tools, and even pass on nonessential cultural traditions.
This is a story from the article: “A dolphin named Billie spent some time in a training facility. Billie mimicked her fellow dolphins’ show trick of “tail-walking” above the water’s surface without human training. When Billie was released back into the wild, there were several eyewitness accounts of wild dolphins performing the show-stopping ability, even after Billie’s death and despite the skill giving them no evolutionary advantage.”
3. Elephants
Of course, they have the biggest brains of any land mammal on Earth. Excellent memory skills and communication skills. Plus, they tell each other secrets.
4. Crows
Everybody knows I love a crow. The most intelligent birds in the world. Tools. Memory. Language. More.
5. Squirrels
They are methodical, strategic survivors in predator-heavy environments. Nut hiders. Seriously. The storage habits of common gray squirrels show unprecedented planning and also a forward-thinking approach. And so cute.
Also, I can’t leave without mentioning the next one.
Octopuses.
They are in a league of their own. That’s part of the problem when researchers are only scratching the surface when it comes to figuring out how smart they are.
Octopuses have large brains with more neurons than a human brain — more than half of which are in their long tentacle-like arms.
They do crazy smart things. We’re learning.
That’s right.
We’re learning. All of us are finally starting to see not only the intelligence but also the emotional value of animals. They think, and they FEEL.
And this is something we should always remember.
Even the least of the creatures deserves our respect, I think.
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“Animals are sentient beings, who experience emotions, and feel pain and pleasure.” – Marc Bekoff
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“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi
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“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” – Anatole France
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The Smarty Pants. But they don’t wear pants. Not for the most part.
