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GEOGRAPHY

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Bio - Fauna

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Most Intelligent Animals

This list features the most intelligent animals on Planet Earth.

RANK

ANIMAL

INTELLIGENCE MEASURE

DESCRIPTION

1

African Grey Parrot

100+ word vocabulary; problem-solving skills

Known for advanced vocal mimicry and problem-solving abilities.

2

Dolphins (Bottlenose)

Complex social behaviors; tool use

Capable of understanding complex commands and problem-solving.

3

Orangutans

Use of tools; understanding of cause and effect

Known for using tools and solving complex problems.

4

Chimpanzees

Use of tools; cultural learning

Exhibits advanced problem-solving skills and social learning.

5

Elephants

Self-awareness; empathy; problem-solving abilities

Known for complex social structures and emotional intelligence.

6

Crows (New Caledonian)

Tool manufacturing; problem-solving skills

Known for making tools from twigs and other materials.

7

Pigs

Problem-solving abilities; emotional intelligence

Capable of learning complex tasks and exhibiting emotions.

8

Octopuses

Problem-solving abilities; use of tools

Known for escaping enclosures and solving puzzles.

9

Ravens

Problem-solving abilities; planning for the future

Demonstrates advanced cognitive abilities, including future planning.

10

Dogs

Ability to understand human commands; problem-solving

Known for their ability to learn commands and show emotional intelligence.


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References

Bugnyar, T. & Heinrich, B. (2005). Pilfering ravens, Corvus corax, can use a third-party perspective. Animal Behaviour. Hunt, G.R. & Gray, R.D. (2003). Species-wide learning in New Caledonian crows. In Animal Cognition. Koda, H. et al. (2018). A study on the capacity of dogs to understand human social cues. Animal Cognition. Mann, J. et al. (2000). An Introduction to Bottlenose Dolphin Behavior. In The Bottlenose Dolphin (pp. 2-33). Mather, J.A. (1991). Octopus behavior and cognition. In Cephalopod Behavior. Mendl, M. et al. (2009). Pigs display cognitive bias consistent with their affective state. Animal Behaviour. Pepperberg, I.M. (2000). Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots. In The Animal Mind (pp. 9-34). Plotnik, J.M. et al. (2006). Elephants know when they need a helping trunk in a cooperative task. Biology Letters. Russon, A.E. et al. (2009). Cognitive Development in Great Apes. In The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Evolutionary Psychology. Whiten, A. et al. (1999). Cultures in chimpanzees. Nature.
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