20 Animal Brainiacs: The World's Smartest Animals

Our closest animal relatives, according to the latest research, have impressive intellectual skills. Orangutans are better than children at solving problems with tools they make themselves. In experiments, Orangutans consistently make fishing hooks to retrieved food more successfully than eight-year-olds. And they are the only non-human primates that can talk about past events to plan future actions — waiting to warn others of danger, for example, until it's safe to do so.

Chimpanzees are great imitators. Some researchers argue that they don’t create sentences in sign language, as was once thought, but pick up cues from their testers. Nevertheless, their own communication of lip smacks and sounds has rhythm, timing, and syntax similar to language. They make different tools for specific uses and teach each other, leading to distinct local toolmaking cultures in different regions. And they strategically cooperate when hunting or battling other troops.

If size matters, then dolphins are geniuses; their brains, as a percentage of their body mass, are among the biggest on the planet. They are the only non-human creatures that seem to have individual names that they choose themselves. Even more interestingly, dolphins understand much about us — including gestural language, pictures, and emotions — and yet we don’t really know much about them. Fifty years of research still can’t decode their communications of clicks and whistles or understand how their giant brains work.

Elephants, another big-brained species, are among the smartest animals on earth. Their intelligence is emotional. While male elephants go off in bachelor groups, herds of females and their daughters are loyal family groups that stay together for years. They cooperate, and they mourn their dead in an almost ritualistic way.

Before you tuck into your next BLT, consider this: pigs are smarter than most dogs. Puzzle-solving pigs understand reflections, finding food they have only seen in a mirror. You can more easily house train a small pig than a cat or a dog. And, despite their reputation for wallowing, they’re actually clean animals, only covering themselves in mud to cool off and protect their delicate skin from the sun.

Octopuses are among the more surprising animals on any list of the smartest on earth. Unusually for cephalopods, they have a nervous system partly compressed into a centralized brain. They can open mollusks using a choice of methods, can play with objects, and can pull apart filters and hoses in aquariums. The Coconut Shell octopus uses empty coconut shells for protection and shelter, hiding under or inside them.

Crows know how to take advantage of the modern world. Lots of birds drop shellfish from a height to break them open, but crows go one better. These smart avians drop them on roads, wait for cars to drive over and smash them and then swoop down to feast. Scientists have observed crows not only using tools but actually making them out of sticks and wire. And if you think you’ve heard a crow laughing at you, you probably have; like parrots, crows can imitate human sounds.

Dog owners know that their dogs understand more than simple commands. They also respond to how their owners feel and to language. Cognition researchers at Barnard and Yale agree that what makes dogs among the smartest animals on earth is the way they understand humans. Through evolution, breeding, and close contact, dogs are extremely responsive to gestures, eye movements, and tones of voice. Most adult dogs understand about as many words as a three-year-old.

Raccoons are determined and creative, especially at getting food. They don’t have opposable thumbs, but their delicate five-fingered hands are agile. In a University of Wyoming study, raccoons dropped rocks into a tube of water, raising the level to grab a floating marshmallow. Not all the study subjects were so patient. At least one of the little bandit-masked critters climbed on the device and rocked back and forth until it toppled, spilling the contents to release the marshmallow.

Food — hunting it and keeping it — turns the most unlikely animals into geniuses. In a famous Mission Impossible-themed video, a persistent squirrel overcomes a very difficult obstacle course to reach a bowl of nuts. Researchers at the University of California Berkeley are trying to determine how the campus wild squirrels decide which nuts to bury and which to eat at once. The animals stash their winter supplies in hundreds of caches, and the researchers still have not worked out how they choose the spots or find them later.

Parrots, with their vibrant plumage and ability to mimic human speech, are often seen as entertaining pets. However, their intelligence extends far beyond their vocal abilities. Parrots have been observed demonstrating problem-solving skills, understanding complex concepts such as shape, color, and numerical cognition.

Some species have even been seen using tools to access food or other resources. Their social structures are complex, and they exhibit a range of behaviors that indicate high emotional intelligence. Parrots' cognitive abilities are a testament to the diversity and depth of intelligence in the animal kingdom.

Ravens, like their crow cousins, are members of the corvid family, known for their exceptional intelligence. These birds have demonstrated problem-solving skills that rival those of some primates. They can use tools, plan for future events, and even barter and trade.

Ravens have been observed remembering individual human faces and modifying their behavior based on past interactions with specific people. Their communication skills are also impressive, with a range of vocalizations used for different situations. The intelligence of ravens is a perfect example of how brain size doesn't always correlate with cognitive ability.

Border Collies are often cited as the most intelligent breed of dog, and for good reason. These dogs are known for their ability to understand a large number of human words and commands. They can follow complex instructions and are excellent at tasks that require agility and problem-solving skills.

Border Collies have been bred for centuries to herd sheep, a task that requires a high level of intelligence and understanding of both human commands and animal behavior. Their ability to learn and adapt makes them not only excellent working dogs but also incredible companions.

Rats may not be everyone's first choice of pet, but these small rodents have a surprising level of intelligence. They are known for their ability to navigate complex mazes, remember routes, and solve problems. Rats are also highly social animals, with complex communication systems and social structures.

They can recognize other individual rats and remember them, showing a level of social memory. Rats have even been observed showing empathy, helping other rats in distress, which is a behavior not seen in many animals.

Bees, despite their small size, are remarkably intelligent. They have demonstrated the ability to learn and remember, communicate with each other, and navigate complex environments. Bees use a form of communication known as the "waggle dance" to tell other bees in their hive the location of food sources.

They can also recognize human faces, a task that requires complex visual processing. The intelligence of bees is a fascinating example of how even small-brained animals can exhibit complex behaviors and cognitive abilities.

Pigeons, often seen as city dwellers, have shown remarkable navigational abilities. They have been used throughout history for their ability to deliver messages over long distances. Pigeons can recognize themselves in a mirror, a sign of self-awareness that is relatively rare in the animal kingdom.

They can also recognize all 26 letters of the English alphabet and are able to differentiate between photographs and even different human beings. This level of visual processing and memory is quite advanced, making pigeons one of the smartest bird species.

Gorillas, our close primate relatives, have demonstrated a high level of intelligence in various ways. In captivity, some gorillas have been taught sign language, showing their ability to understand and use complex forms of communication. They use tools in the wild to access food and build nests.

Gorillas also have complex social structures and show a range of emotions, from joy to grief. They can remember past events and individuals, showing a level of memory and understanding that is rare in the animal kingdom.

Bonobos, like other primates, have demonstrated advanced problem-solving abilities, use of tools, and complex social structures. They are known for their peaceful societies, where conflicts are often resolved through social interactions rather than violence.

Bonobos have been observed using a variety of tools in the wild for tasks such as accessing food and building shelters. In captivity, they have even been taught to communicate using symbols.

Cuttlefish, despite their strange appearance, are remarkably intelligent. These cephalopods have shown signs of a high degree of intelligence, including the ability to change their skin color and pattern in complex ways to communicate or camouflage. They can remember information, solve problems, and even demonstrate self-control, a trait that is relatively rare in the animal kingdom.

Cuttlefish have a complex nervous system and a large brain relative to their body size, which allows them to process information and learn from their environment in ways that are still not fully understood.

Capuchin monkeys, native to Central and South America, are known for their problem-solving skills and use of tools. They can use stones as hammers to crack open nuts, and they've been observed using sticks to probe for food. Capuchins also exhibit social learning, with younger monkeys often learning skills by watching older members of their group.

They have complex social structures and can communicate using a range of vocalizations and body language. The intelligence of capuchin monkeys is a testament to the cognitive abilities of primates, our closest animal relatives.