You will come out with an orthodox answer “human being”. Yes of course you are right, with millions of fascinating intellectual abilities, physical capabilities, impressive memory and knowledge and so many things possessed by human beings. The outstanding traits of our intelligence and adoption are the ability we have to learn from experience, control our surroundings using knowledge, perceive concrete and abstract concepts, and get adapted to the environment. Other than these, we have abilities to understand, perceive, learn, remember, memorize, reason, and solve problems. As we are affluent with the above traits, we deem that we are the only ones who can excel in the whole world comprising every living and non-living being. But have you ever thought of intelligence in the animal kingdom?
Is man the only creature who possesses such great abilities? You might think the answer is “yes” ’cause but I frankly say, ” no “, there are much more creatures that have physical as well as intellectual abilities which are not widely known by everyone in the world.
What is the control center of the human body which assists the human to play such a complex role? It is a three-pound organ, consisting of over 100 billion nerves as the head of the nervous system you know quite well as the ” brain”. The human brain consists of a large cortical surface and a cortex that Is wrinkled to increase the surface to store information. The human brain is larger than the human body allows it to be. In comparison to primates and other mammals, it consumes a higher ratio of whole body volume.
The value of having a brain.
Why do we need such a complicated brain and such fascinating intelligence and a brilliant memory? Humans need specialized intelligence to memorize their places of dwelling, where should they try to fulfill different requirements, ways to rescue life, and learn the survival varied landmarks and people. As humans, animals also require to remember their habitations, and other landmarks to find food and rescue from threats as predators. For survival, humans and animals utilize their memory and all.
Rats, a smart scientist
What is the most frequently used animal in laboratory tests? You might know the correct answer, “rat”. Rats have been used for laboratory research since a few decades ago. Because rats have minds which are comparatively similar in function to humans. As the structural difference between humans and rats, rats have a smooth brain that consists of a cortical surface and cortex while humans have wrinkles in them. However, humans and rats are very much alike when comparing the structure and function of brains.
We suffer loneliness heavily and become depressed when we are alone. Rats have sociable behaviors that feel the same emotions. Further, they can memorize the routes and perform complex tasks with multiple steps. They are famous as good students and clever in understanding concepts and learning.
Orangutans, the tool user
Other than humans, Orangutans are some of the smartest animals, native to Indonesia. They possess nearly identical DNA structure to humans, shares over 97 percent of DNA with human, and can use tools, use social structures which are ritualistic. at the same time, they have fundamental and essential language skills including the ability to handle sign language.
Orangutans have nearly similar body size to humans but their brain volume depicts one-third of the size of the human brain. It says the human brain is three times larger than the other primates in comparison to the human body size.
An experiment, done with an orangutan revealed that they are fast learners in using tools. In captivity, he was taught to use tools to create a simple structure, and after letting him to his natural habitat, he prepared a shelter using tools to get protected from rain. Moreover, it is a famous fact that orangutans could use hammers and nails as masterful carpenters.
Chimpanzee, the genetic relation
Humans’ nearest genetic relation chimpanzee also depicts a great and unique intelligence and highly evolved brain in comparison with other animals in the Kingdom Animalia. Being native to sub-Saharan Africa, chimps have nearly identical DNA structures to humans, inheriting the most common features among people and chimpanzees.
Chimps depict different psychological aspects which make them unique from other animals. Furthermore, they manipulate others in the same group to fulfill different tasks. Also, chimp mothers are very clever in teaching sign language to their youngsters. And they use it to communicate with the members of the chimpanzee family.
Chimps are experts in using tools, and clever in transforming most things into tools that they need for different purposes. As orangutans, their brain size is one-third the size of the human brain.
Octopus, bearer of nine brains
Octopuses are other creatures, who have amazing intellectual abilities. Their brain consists of both long and short-term memories, which empower them to figure out complex mazes and solve problems. In their dwelling, this ability helps them to get protection from threats, and predation and find routes to their habitations.
When considering the structure of the brain of octopuses, they have the central brain, located between the eyes, while they have mini-brains in their tentacles. Unlike any other, octopuses have nine brains!
Pigeon, the flying rat
Pigeon is a very intelligent member of the birds family. It is very smart as some can recognize all the letters in the English alphabet. Considering the identical nature of the intellectual property, pigeons have been given the name” flying rats”. Moreover, scientific test results have shown that pigeons have a notion of self-awareness and possess an ability to recognize themselves in a mirror. At the same time, they can identify people, specifically able to distinguish between two people and places. And store information for many years. Ancestors of ours had used this ability to send messages via pigeons, over great distances.
Pigeon’s brains have been structured like the human neocortex, consisting of both vertical and horizontal circuitry, as both layers are shaped and column-shaped organization.
African Grey Parrot, a fast learner
African Grey Parrots take another higher position in intelligence among the other avian species. When considering their literacy, African greys are highly skilled and smart in learning human languages. They can learn up to a hundred words with an impressive vocabulary. Moreover, they possess the ability to understand different shapes and colors and at the same time, they are clever at spatial reasoning and concepts of relationships.
Even though African greys can be found as domestic pets in certain areas, their race is native to the rainforests of Africa.
African greys can imitate what they hear by using the cortex and cerebellum, parts of an enlarged circuit of the spiriform nucleus, which passes messages. African greys have a brain, comparatively similar to human brains in structure.
Crow, the tactful fellow
Next, we are going to reveal another tactful messenger, crows. Crows are another type of animal with higher intellectual abilities than you would ever believe. They use amazing tactics when they are fighting with other animals. In addition, these tricky fellows have amazingly developed language skills, and they can talk too! Certain researchers have proven their ability to find routes for carrying messages and their ability to avoid dangerous areas in their route. If you observe well, you will recognize the crows who are waiting for the garbage truck. At the same route and time! Other than the truck, they recognize the driver as crows and are more clever in identifying human faces than we do!
Crows have the largest brain of all Avian species. Apart from their amazing memory, crows can use tools. You might notice a group of crows, digging a garbage truck busily to find some food with bits of wood spikes or a piece of decayed iron bar.
About 1.5 billion neurons can be found in crows and it is the same as in some species of monkeys. Further, the total intelligence of crows may be close to that of apes because the tightly packed nature of neurons facilitates better communication.
Pigs, the unknown smarties
Dogs are famous among human beings as intelligent guardians. Nevertheless, if I state that pigs also have a higher IQ, you might laugh! Of course, pigs are another smartest group of animals. Six weeks piglets can understand the complex concept of reflection, while human babies take several months to recognize It.
Moreover, researchers have shown that pigs, can use and identify 20 different sounds and the communication between mother pigs and babies is well-developed. Pigs can identify emotions and depict empathetic reactions at appropriate times.
Elephants, masterful giants
Do you recognize the huge creature who has a giant body and is known among everyone for his surprisingly long memory? Yes, you might guess it correctly, the answer is an elephant. The elephant is popular among the folk of his long and clear memory and mysterious tales were woven around elephants. Also, tales of elephants reveal that they medicate themselves using different leaves to cure their illnesses.
When Considering their social structure, findings have revealed evidence that elephants have participated in the funeral rituals of their dead ones and wept or mourned for their loss. Their deep spiritual bonds among the members of the herd tend to sacrifice even their life in any complication. Furthermore, their brains have functioned in an incredible way to perform altruistic acts, unlike other animals.
Elephants have more developed brains than other animals. The elephant brain is three times larger than the human brain and consists of 257 billion neurons.
Bottlenose Dolphin, the marine wit
Let’s welcome the smartest and the most intelligent and the largest brain bearer in the ocean. As you thought, it is a dolphin, a bottlenose dolphin.
Even though dolphins were considered the most impressive fellow in the ocean, among the eight varied types of dolphins, bottlenose is the best. They have spindle cells, a type of specialized neuron in their brain that facilitates varied cognitive tasks. Furthermore, they have the largest brain among all the types of other dolphins and marine creatures. At the same time, they can depict human-like nodding motions with their head, unlike other dolphins.
Dolphins have an impressive memory that facilitates them to recognize their reflection through a mirror, recognize the unusual marks on their body and even recognize the pictures on a television screen!
Moreover, dolphins have amazing language abilities which let them communicate among the species. They can switch their language, to a common one which let them communicate among all the dolphin species. Due to the ease of communication, bottle-nose dolphins have been recognized as the most easily trainable fellows.
Though human believes themselves to a conqueror, one with immense power, the thing they should necessarily consider is he is not the sole owner of everything that exists in this world. As much as they hurt nature, he should not believe that other creatures are powerless. Because one day when the whole intelligence of nature can be get united against humans, to get revenge for being the responsible culprit for the limitless disasters he had made, for the universe.