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Orangutan:
They are third
smartest animal. They are gifted
with intellectual brain after hu-
mans. They have strong culture
and have a system of commu-
nication. They live in scat-
tered communities and
form a strong social bond
which is a key to their
advanced cognitive skills and
they use tools in wild.
The great apes are considered the
smartest creatures after humans.
Of course, humans are biased in this
regard, but the intellectual capacity
of the great apes is difficult to deny.
Among them, orangutans stand out
as being especially gifted in the brains
department. They have a strong cul-
ture and system of communication, and
many have been observed to use tools in
the wild. Orangutans live in widely scat-
tered communities and form strong social
bonds, which may be the key to their
advanced cognitive skills. Females
remain with their young for many
years, teaching them all they need
to survive in the forest
Elephants:
These are the fourth smartest animals with good
memory. They are quite, elegant, curious and can follow
human commands in captivity and use tools in wild. They
clean their food and are energetic and empathetic towards
their group. They can easily distinguish between friends and
enemies. They can remember exact locations of watering
and are good painters.
The sheer size of their brains suggests that elephants
must know a thing or two about the ways of the
world. They have been seen consoling family mem-
bers, helping other species in times of need, playing
in water and communicating with one another via vibrations
sensed in their feet. A crowning achievement, some research-
ers say, was when this female Asian elephant named Happy
recognized herself in the mirror. The complex behavior is
shared only with humans, great apes and dolphins.
W
e humans have the ability to learn, to
reason and solve problems. We’re self-aware, and we’re
also conscious of the presence, thoughts and feelings of
others. We make tools and practice the art of deception.
We’re creative. We think abstractly. We have language
and use it to express complex ideas. All of these are ar-
guably signs of intelligence. Scientists may not agree on
the best and fullest definition of intelligence — but they
generally agree that humans are highly intelligent.
Other members of the animal kingdom exhibit signs of
intelligence as well, and some scientists might say the
definition of animal vs. human intelligence is merely
a matter of degree - a point that was brought home in
2005 when the London Zoo put “Homo sapiens” on
display in the exhibit pictured here. Click ahead to learn
about nine other species that stand out for their smarts.