Top 10 Smartest Animals

I publish this item for amusement and by way of protest: The author fails to say who rated these animals this way and why. "Smartness" and "intelligence" go undefined. Who is to say that the whale locating other whales is smarter than the salmon that finds it spawning ground every year, the carrier pigeon that knows how to find his way home from anywhere, or the monarch butterflies that all converge on the same little place in Mexico? Is the octopus/squid camouflage talent "intelligent" or an involuntary instinct put there by an Intelligent Creator? Isn't the ability to learn an important measure of intelligence? How can the sheep, who can't discern between a wolf and a dog, be rated above the sheepdog? In fact, aren't dogs, who can be taught so much by and for the indisputably most intelligent being, Man, be rated anything less than tops? Disabled people aren't using squids or ravens to prepare their supper or help them find a seat on the bus, but dogs do.

Top 10 Smartest Animal Countdown

Author: Deborah Stanley

10th place:

Small Toothed Whale. This warm blooded small whale is known for its mysterious journeys across the ocean. It is still unknown how it can find others in the group several hundred miles away.

9th place:

Squid and octopus. They are considered to be some of the smartest sea creatures. An octopus can build its shelter from the ocean debris and is equal to none in camouflage. It can change its color and pattern in less than a second, sending the brain signal to its entire body.

8th place:

Sheep. British scientists believe that we underestimate sheep on its intuition and intelligence. During several years of research they have concluded that sheep possess exceptional memory and could identify the faces of people or animals without a mistake. They even claim that sheep's intellectual ability is closer to humans than we thought. The main downside of their study is that the animals tend to scare easy!

7th place:

Cacadu Parrot. In Great Britain a local parrot has become recognized as the country's smartest animal. A cacadu named Badjo can sew holding a needle and thread with his beak! Badjo's owner, a professional tailor, confirms that the bird's skills are 90% accurate.

6th place:

Crows. Officially, most scientists consider crows as the smartest birds in the world, especially the ones living in big cities. Tokyo, Japan, is known for the largest number of crows in the world.

5th place:

Monkeys. Macacas are not only the famous inhabitants of local safari parks or Indian temples. These smart animals above everything else can recognize themselves in the mirror while other animals, including cats, cannot.

4th place:

Rats. You will be surprised to learn that old experienced rats can get away with any mouse trap: they shake it until the spring is off and also shied less younger rats from the poisonous meals.

3rd place:

Dolphins. It's a known fact that British Special Forces used dolphins as informants during the war to carry messages to and from various ships. Many scientists confirm that dolphins possess amazing intellectual abilities. Also, dolphins never sleep with their systems totally shut down - their brain is taking turns on keeping one half in a sleep mode while the other stays alert.

2nd place:

Elephants. Elephants are extremely skillful with their trunks and are even known to paint with it! They also have an exceptional memory important to distinguish friends from enemies. If you ever hurt an elephant, he will remember it his entire life and if your paths ever cross, beware!

1st place:

Primates: Until now gorillas and chimpanzees were considered the smartest animals on the planet. However, the scientists are spending a lot of time researching orangutans and think that their abilities could be even more astonishing. So for their closest proximity to human nature of improvising and using tools to get food, primates remain as number one in our countdown.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/top-10-smartest-animal-countdown-426134.html

About the Author
Deborah Stanley writes for http://www.PetsReady.com - Disaster, Emergency Preparedness Portal full of Pet Care Articles, Disaster Preparedness Tips, Latest Food Recalls, Preparedness Newsletter and much more!. PetsReady specifically focuses on emergency preparedness kits for Cats and Dogs for any disaster situation.