We generally believe that human beings are the only wise creatures on planet Earth, but scientists have proved that other animals are also very intelligent. They came to this conclusion by studying the behaviour and interactions of many different species on many occasions.

Some animals and birds possess astonishing intelligence which helps them in decision-making, adaptation and fulfilment of their needs. Many animals react by instinct, while some use intelligence. Learning quickly from their surrounding and environment is a sign of intelligence and this indicates that such animals are very smart and crafty. It is observed that they understand the situation first and act accordingly.

These animals and birds display amazing behaviour in the human environment or among themselves and other species.

Many of you would have observed this kind of behaviour in different pets, especially parrots, dogs, cats and other creatures like ants, bees, etc. Just like intelligent students become prominent in their class, some intelligent animals also gain prominence among others.

Here is a descriptive account of some of the well-known intelligent animals and birds.

Primates

They are very intelligent animals that have been graded closest to human beings. They have the ability to understand situations and learn from their surroundings. They are very social and communicate better with one another and other species through expressive, offensive and defensive behaviour.

Animal behaviourists and scientists have conducted research on their intelligence and have come to the conclusion that they are the wisest animals after human beings. They express emotions, have a social life and the ability to learn from their surroundings.

Chimpanzees were tested in front of mirrors and scientists discovered that they behave in a way similar to humans. Among primates, orangutans are the most intelligent, then chimpanzees and gorillas.

Honey bees

They are one of the most important biological entities that have helped not only human beings, but ecosystems around the world. They are also very intelligent insects that have the ability to recall and learn. They are very social and have great deal of communication among themselves.

They show great teamwork and organisation. They have the amazing skill of calculation of distances and location of nectar collection. Bees know a lot of colours and have a heightened sense of smell that allows them to locate particular flowers. They are mostly active in the morning because nectar is more at that time.

Besides these, there are other animals such as cats, parrots and pigeons that demonstrate great intelligence. Though they have not been discussed in detail here, it does not make them less significant than the ones mentioned above.

Dolphins

Dolphins are mammals that have the ability to learn from their environment and pass on the same learning to others of their kind. Dolphins are considered to have great intelligence and the ability to learn through training. They can be trained to do ‘tail-walking’ or playing with a ball, among other things, and are rewarded with fish for performing an activity.

This playful behaviour in dolphin is a reflection of their intelligence. They use specialised ways of feeding and foraging, they hunt schools of fish in groups with great ease.

Like human beings, life expectancy in dolphins is shorter in captivity and longer in the wild, unlike other animals. This is how they nourish in the wilderness. It is believed that these animals have self-awareness and show human-like skills such as hand-shaking, etc.

Elephants

Elephants have the largest brain among land animals and are among the most intelligent too. They have the ability to be trained and taught. They are very social, having strong family bonds and learn with the passage of time. They can express emotions of joy and sadness. They have a good memory, understanding of commands and words. They perform death rituals of other elephants, showing their association with each other. They have the ability to perform several activities in captivity too, such as sucking water with their trunk and spraying it out, beating drums, etc.

Elephants are good observers and learners, and understand the gestures of their owner. They can follow one another for a long distance, which shows their association and attachment with each other.

Dogs

Studies have revealed that a dog has the intelligence equivalent to that of a two-year-old child. Because of their high intelligence, they perform several tasks, such as watch and ward, after training and association with human beings. Dogs understand their owner’s command and body language, they are very loyal, find hidden objects, recognise things through smell, recognise strangers and owners, and can remember their way home. Because of these characteristics, people have been keeping dogs the world over since ancient times.

They are very good human companions, as they understand emotions and expressions.

Squirrels

Squirrels are also very intelligent animals. They are very active in locating their food, which they often bury with extreme care and possess the ability to remember where the food has been buried for later use so that other birds or animals cannot not steal them.

They are also very adaptive and make use of the environment around them. They are capable of judging the easiest way up and down a tree. They are also capable of tactical deception, which is clear in the way in which they deceive other squirrels while buring a nut in front of them.

Rats

Rats have been found to be very suitable for scientific studies. Scientists have conducted experiments on rats and have found that they are very adaptive and quick to find their target.

They are very social and secretive and are usually nocturnal. They are very active and trace their food well.

Ants

Ants are the most successful entities that have been surviving on earth since long and in most places in the world. Ants build colonies and they have a complex system and society. They are clever in making chambers underground, to store food like leaves, and to culture fungus for eating. This activity can be compared to farming by human beings.

They are also very offensive and defensive for food and the protection of their territory. Ants are very social and demonstrate great coordination, teamwork, labour and organisation to swarm a food store or site. They are very communicative when it comes to passing on messages to other ants to raid food. They travel long distances to get to the food using the same path. Good coordination helps them accomplish tasks collectively and quickly.

Crows

Many of you would have read or heard the tale about how a crow threw pebbles in a pitcher to raise water and drink it. Whether the story has any truth in it or not, there is no doubt that crows are smart and intelligent.

They soak dried loaf of bread in water to eat easily. They are very social and cautious birds. Crows detect danger quickly and call out to other crows when there is food or in danger. They drop nuts from a height to break the shell open for eating.

Crows can also recognise human faces. They are very swift, so when people look at them, they fly to escape from any threat and danger. They are good cleaner of the environment, consuming everything they can feed on.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 21st, 2017