It's no secret that every animal has a unique form of intelligence. Of course, studies of the mental abilities of representatives of the fauna are still underway, and scientists have yet to make a lot of interesting discoveries. But sometimes it becomes interesting - what does the smartest animal look like? Where does it live? What abilities does it have?
In fact, several species claim to be the “cleverest animal in the world”. Indeed, the intellectual abilities of each individual representative are not so easy to evaluate.
In addition, researchers who determine the most intelligent animal also need to pay attention to the environment, way of life, physiological characteristics of the nervous system.
To begin with, I would like to mention the primates. Indeed, it is precisely to this group of animals that modern systematics classifies humans. And some representatives of the series have a remarkable mind. The most intelligent monkeys are gorillas and chimpanzees. In these species, the central nervous system is well developed . They are able to build relationships with their relatives, have some linguistic abilities. In addition, it is believed that chimpanzees express some typically human behaviors - for example, they may experience empathy or joy. And their memory is much better developed than that of the average person.
Another representative of the fauna claiming the title of “most intelligent animal” is a dolphin. Yes, these species are really smart, although it is sometimes difficult to study the functioning of their brain because of the habitat. It is interesting that animals never sleep, or rather, their sleep does not quite correspond to the usual explanation of the processes of rest. Dolphin’s brain is switched off alternately - when the left hemisphere is resting, the right one works, and vice versa. These creatures are excellently trained - during the war, the British soldiers with the help of dolphins made real sabotage. Today, swimming with dolphins is considered not only a pleasant pastime, but also an effective way to treat some mental disorders.
Clever and parrots are considered. After all, everyone knows that some species can talk, copy voices and intonations, memorize words and even make complete sentences. By the way, the smartest parrot in the world is Baggio, who helps his master in his work. The owner of a smart budgie is a tailor, and his pet can sew, holding a needle in his beak.
The title "most intelligent animal" can be attributed to the sheep. Yes, of course, these animals are immensely cowardly, which is why they earned themselves unkind fame. But scientists say that they have remarkably developed intelligence. For example, recent studies have helped to establish that sheep have an impeccable memory - they perfectly remember the animals they saw and the faces of people.
Rats are another group of extremely intelligent animals with developed savvy. For example, an old rat can bypass any of the existing mousetraps and not fall for the bait. More experienced adults can identify poisoned food - they will not only refuse such a “treat”, but will also protect young rats.
Elephants are one of the few animals (along with chimpanzees and dolphins) that recognize their own image in the mirror. In addition, the representatives of the species have a well-developed memory, so they should not be offended. And the female takes care not only of her cub, but also of the male - to some extent, it resembles family relationships.
Wolves are also considered very smart and cunning animals. They can communicate well even at large distances. It is believed that the leader is the strongest male. But in some species, the female is headed by a flock - it may not be the smartest, but the most dodgy.
In any case, each animal has unique mental characteristics that have yet to be studied.