9 of the smartest animals

[Catherine]

This is quite the list. It has everything from birds to insects to mammals. There are more mammals on the list, but we have been studied more.
People don't think of bees as smart. They certainly don't think of cows.
I knew squirrels are smart. I live in a city full of squirrels and they have things figured out very well.

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals...mals-earth

The problem is, we have bad encounters with all these species. We should be "talking" to them instead.
Some day we will wish we had listened more.

[AnimalFamily]

Very interesting.
I have heard many times that pigs are extremely intelligent.
I know my squirrels are pretty savvy. One in particular has been tormenting Payne for years, lol!!
Cows......I never thought about it before, but ya learn something new every day!!
....whaaaaaat no goats on the list? Just kidding. *wink*

[Catherine]

I would have expected goats. Rats and pigs are smart, but I did not know about cows.

Bees are very clever. Few people realize that. They are so secretive in many ways.

I notice that there are no reptiles on the list, but who knows how to measure reptile intelligence. I guess cats and dogs were left off because we already know they are smart.

Bonobos, elephants and dolphins are definitely very smart. I think Orcas and Orangutans are pretty clever, but how do we really measure it.

Let's face it, we are surrounded by intelligence and often miss it.

[Tobi]

People often hate rats but rats are very clever. I actually admire them for their ways. And birds, the wild garden birds, are clever too. It is said that a Robin, for instance has the same intelligence level as a three year old child (like dogs and cats) Actually, I think those ideas underestimate their abilities.

Maybe we are too quick to measure 'intelligence' by human standards. And those can be a bit restrictive, and odd. For instance, I know I am intelligent, but never have a hope with IQ tests! It takes me too long to understand what they are getting at, and what I'm supposed to do first! That feels almost like a language, or mind-set barrier. Once that is understood I am okay but slow on the uptake!
Maybe I was a dog in a past life! haha

[Catherine]

How do you measure the intelligence of a creature different from us. Our IQ tests are standardized to a certain cultural bias. If you are from a different culture or are not interested in the things most people are interested in, you don't test well.

We have never come up with a good way to test anyone's intelligence. If you are visually impaired or can't hear very well the standard test doesn't work.
Sometimes, like you, I need things explained differently before I get what to do. That is not a lack of intelligence. It is a different learning method that the standard test can't sort out.

I wouldn't know how to test snake intelligence. I think my corn snakes are smarter that the ball pythons. Some of the corn snakes seem smarter than the others. I may have to observe them for 20 years before I figure it out.

I do know that Toronto City Racoons are smart enough to open any green bin they want.

[Catherine]

Quote:If we seriously need research to 'prove' animals are smart, are we as humans really all that intelligent?

Good point!
I suspect some people doing research on animal intelligence just want to prove that they are smarter than the animals. If you use tests that are geared to human capabilities then you get the result you want. That doesn't make the researcher seem to bright.

[Catherine]

I would rather we observed animals to see what they do and how they do it. That would be more meaningful. We would then recognize the signs of intelligence that are so obviously there.

We would also get to know the animal by our observations. We might make some cross species friends.