Smartest Animals in the World That Will Leave You Dumbfounded, Animal Sake

Animals are smarter than most people think. Some use tools. Some solve puzzles. Some even show empathy for other species. Here are ten animals (from a crow that cracks shells with passing cars to a jumping spider that plots its ambush) that prove the animal kingdom is full of surprising minds.

Let's begin with a couple of stories about animals.

In a safari park in Scotland, a chimpanzee named Chippy stole the cell phone of a keeper. He didn't just stop at that, he went on to press the right buttons to dial pre-programmed numbers and call the warden of the facility.

In Vancouver, Canada, a duck would tug the pants of a police officer and waddle toward a sewer drain. This went on for some time. When the officer finally followed it to the drain, he found ducklings trapped inside.

Was it pure coincidence that Chippy dialed the right numbers? Was it a mother's instinct that made the duck seek help from a police officer? Either way, you can't overlook the fact that animals are smart and have the ability to do simple things that require real thinking.

Top 10 Smartest Animals

1. Pig

A pink piglet looking curious, pigs are among the smartest animals in the world — Pigs are smarter than dogs, and among the cleanest animals on the planet.

Believe it or not, pigs are smarter than dogs! They are not only among the smartest animals on the planet, but also among the cleanest. A pig will refuse to go to the toilet anywhere near the area where it lives and eats. You can train a pig just like a dog or cat. Train it properly and it will move the cursor on your computer screen with its snout and even learn to tell apart scribbles it has seen before from those it is seeing for the first time.

2. Crow

A crow walking confidently, crows top the avian IQ scale — Crows top the avian IQ scale and can count, use tools, and carry out observational learning.

Crows are considered the smartest of all birds. They grab that title by topping the avian IQ scale. They can count, tell apart complex shapes, and even carry out observational learning tasks. The New Caledonian Crow has been found to create knives to cut leaves and stalks of grass. Ravens are like crows, but a bit larger and with different calls. Ravens throw clams, nuts, and shells onto roads and wait for passing cars to run over them, this breaks the hard shells so they can enjoy the treat inside.

3. Rat

A brown rat in close-up, rats possess metacognition, a mental ability seen only in humans and some primates — Rats are used in lab experiments because their psychology is so similar to ours.

Despite what you may have thought, rats are among the smartest animals on the planet. A rat's psychology is similar to that of humans, which is why they are mostly used for lab experiments. Rats possess a mental ability called metacognition, seen only in humans and some primates. They can use their keen sense of smell and hearing to detect land mines and bombs. They can even identify human sputum samples containing tuberculosis bacteria. The rat is indeed a smart animal: it can show signs of excitement, loss, stress, and even remorse.

4. African Gray Parrot

An African Gray parrot with its distinctive gray feathers and red tail, native to West and Central African rainforests — African Gray parrots don't just mimic words, they associate words with their meanings to form sentences.

The African Gray parrot is native to the West and Central African rainforest. It's well known that parrots can mimic human speech, but the African Gray goes a notch further. They can associate words and their meanings to build sentences. These parrots communicate with each other through songs, calls, and body language, and can also mimic other voices they hear around the house. When an African Gray parrot belonging to Mr. Yosuke Nakamura of Japan got wounded and lost its way, it gave the bird's name, full address, and even the phone number of its owner to the authorities, helping them track down Mr. Nakamura and return it.

Test Your Animal Brain IQ!

5 quick questions on the smartest creatures on Earth. How many can you get right?

5. Elephant

An elephant with its trunk raised, elephants are the largest mammals on land and famous for their fantastic memory — Elephants draw mental maps of watering and feeding areas, and can find a place they haven't visited in years.

Elephants are the largest mammals on land. They have always been known for their wisdom and fantastic memory. They draw mental maps of watering and feeding areas and can get back to a feeding spot they have not visited for many years. Their large ears and long trunks help them listen to the world around them. They communicate through roars, trumpets, and bellows, and can even transmit sound through the ground. They are one of the few animals to pass the mirror test and identify themselves as separate individuals. They can even paint, make music, and show emotions related to grief and loss.

6. Octopus

A common octopus on a rocky seafloor, octopuses are the smartest animals in the invertebrate group — The octopus is the smartest animal in the invertebrate group, and a true escape artist.

All species of the cephalopod family (including octopi and squids) have remarkable intelligence. The octopus is considered the smartest animal in the invertebrate group. Besides short-term and long-term memory, they have great learning abilities and can carry out problem solving. They are masters of disguise with a talent for mimicry. They also have very good eyesight and a keen sense of touch. The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium got a firsthand taste of octopus smarts when one managed to turn a valve that caused hundreds of gallons of water to overflow!

7. Bottlenose Dolphin

A bottlenose dolphin leaping from the ocean, its cerebral cortex and frontal lobe are about 40% bigger than a human's — The bottlenose dolphin's frontal lobe is about 40% bigger than a human's, helping it reason, plan, and show empathy.

The bottlenose dolphin has a large brain. Its cerebral cortex and frontal lobe are about 40% bigger than those of humans, which earns this dolphin species a firm place on the list of the world's top 10 smartest animals. Bottlenose dolphins can reason, plan, solve problems, and learn from previous experiences. They also show emotions of remorse for other species. When two Pygmy Sperm Whales were beached in New Zealand, a local dolphin named Moko led the pair through the sand bars to safety.

8. Pigeon

A group of pigeons, these common birds can recognize faces and identify themselves in a mirror — Pigeons can recognize a picture after several years and tell themselves apart in a mirror.

Who would have thought that the humble pigeon would make it onto this list? These birds are intelligent enough to recognize a picture after several years. They can also identify themselves in the mirror and tell apart two different objects.

9. Portia Labiata Jumping Spider

The Portia Labiata, also known as the White Mustached Portia, is native to Africa, Asia, and Australia. Scientists have called these spiders smart because of their tendency to carry out problem-solving experiments in labs. In the wild, they lure other spiders from their webs by tapping on the silk to create the illusion of an insect getting caught. When the resident spider comes to investigate, the Portia quickly eats its dinner. These spiders are also known to plot their hunts in advance. They will even wait for their prey to return if they miss it the first time. The planning and plotting (combined with an understanding that prey will come back) shows just how smart these small spiders really are.

10. Squirrel

A squirrel eating a peanut, squirrels have a flawless memory and are cunning enough to fake food burial to fool rivals — Squirrels store food for winter, and some scientists say they have an advanced level of cunning.

A squirrel loves to munch on a nut, but is no nut itself. Squirrels have a stubborn nature and a flawless memory. They are very clever, just ask anyone whose bird feeder they raid regularly. They will go out of their way to raid bird feeders, flower gardens, or any spot where they can find food. They are well adapted to living alongside humans. Their habit of storing food for winter also proves they are smart enough to plan ahead. In fact, some scientists think they show an advanced level of cunning.

You may not find this list perfect, but you can't deny that it is fitting. Animals have the urge to survive, and if one has the urge to live, they automatically work toward it. Humans rank first in the list of smartest animals, but we also win the title of being the most selfish, and that cancels out whatever brownie points we score thanks to our superior gray cells.

Term	What It Means	Example Animal
Metacognition	The ability to think about your own thinking, knowing what you know and don't know.	Rat, humans, some primates
Mirror Test	A test of self-awareness: the animal is marked while asleep, then shown a mirror. If it inspects the mark on itself (not the mirror), it recognizes itself.	Elephant, dolphin, pigeon
Avian IQ Scale	A way of ranking bird intelligence based on brain-to-body ratio, problem solving, tool use, and social learning.	Crow (top rank)
Cephalopod	A group of sea animals with a well-developed brain and tentacles, including octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish.	Octopus, squid
Observational Learning	Learning a new skill by watching another individual do it, no trial and error needed.	Crow, chimpanzee, rat
Frontal Lobe	The front part of the brain responsible for planning, decision-making, and personality. Bigger in more intelligent animals.	Bottlenose dolphin (40% larger than human)

Smartest Animals in the World That Will Leave You Dumbfounded