Top Ten Smartest Animals

The Top Ten
1 Human Humans (Homo sapiens) are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and large, complex brains. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, and language. Humans are highly social and tend to live in complex social structures composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from families and kinship networks to political states. Social interactions... read more

People try to say that we have so many problems therefore we aren't's smart. Not true at all. We are evil. We are manipulative. We are destroying this world.
But if you look at it, the reason we have the ability to do this is because we are smart. There is no denying that. If we weren't smart, we wouldn't be the dominant species on earth. We wouldn't have made so many scientific discoveries, developed so many weapons, and eliminated so many species and ecosystems.
I agree that we have many problems and act stupid in places. But we are smart. A lot of us just use our intelligence in crooked ways. The reason why we are doing so many things wrong isn't because we aren't smart, rather we aren't using our intelligence in the right way. Like why are we developing thousands of nukes when we could instead prevent global warming? Humans are the smartest, but we need to use our intelligence better.

2 Dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the brackish dolphins), and the extinct Lipotidae (baiji or Chinese river dolphin). There are 40 extant species named as dolphins. ...read more.

Assuming we aren't counting humans, its dolphins vs apes, more specifically dolphins vs chimps. Chimps win in my opinion, but really, there is evidence for both sides. The only thing wrong about this list is Dogs being above Monkeys and Chimps even though they are nowhere near as smart according t science.

I saw trained dolphins at a reserve once, and an dolphin which was only a year old, and it was trained to do some pretty amazing things, including work with another dolphin to come under my feet and carry me across the pool they were in, try to find a one year old human that can do anything near that!

This list is incorrect. Even if you think that humans aren't number one, there are chimps which are way smarter than dolphins. They can understand numerical systems, have better short term memory than humans, and can even be taught to use a computer. Dolphins can't do that. Dolphins should be third.

The smartest chimpanzees are smarter than the smartest dolphins. They have been know to open locks, understand numbers, have better short term memory than humans, use tools, and have the IQ of a 3 year old human child. Just my opinion though. I respect yours too.

3 Chimpanzee Chimpanzees are primates of the genus Pan which consists of the common chimpanzee and the bonobo. They are a part of the tribe Hominini, which also includes humans, and the family Hominidae where all great apes are included. Like their closest living relatives the modern humans, chimpanzees are social and intelligent animals that have the ability to solve problems, use tools, and communicate with others of their kind without speaking.

Guys, you do realise that some people might be checking this website for actual data, right? So please stop depriving them of their rightful data and vote scientifically, as this is a scientific question. Chimps should be number 2

Yes, chimps are smarter than Dolphins and I have mathematical proof, people and chimps share 99.8% of DNA and humans are by far the smartest therefore chimps, Orangutans, and gorillas.

Chimpanzees are the closest to humans. They should be above dolphins because scientifically they can do mostly anything humans can do.

They way they move is just magnificent. They use their feet and toes in miraculous ways. These are the smartest non human creatures.

4 Dog The dog or domestic dog (Canis familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated descendant of the wolf, and is characterized by an upturning tail. The dog is derived from an ancient, extinct wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. The dog was the first species to be domesticated, by hunter–gatherers over 15,000 years ago, before the development of agriculture. Due to their long association with humans, dogs have expanded to a large number of domestic individuals and gained the ability to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canids. ...read more.

DOGS are smart and the reason they are higher than many animals and not closely related to the human like chimps is because they are easy to train. Dogs are the only animals that really show much emotion. You don't see chimps complaining when they are given an apple not a banana.

They may be smart but they shouldn't be this night on the list. People think they are so "clever" because they can learn tricks. All the other animals on this list can learn tricks too and can do way more. Even cats are way smarter than dogs

Dogs are smart, but chimps/orangutangs are probably smarter. A lady taught them sign language, so you couldl communicate with them. But dogs are still very smart. It's not like there could be a police cat

I have a dog and I agree there smart, intelligent and very kind. They are also very polite and also very very generous.

5 Cat The cat (Felis catus) is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal.
It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is often referred to as the domestic cat to distinguish it from the wild members of the family. A cat can either be a house cat, a farm cat or a feral cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.

Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to kill rodents. About 60 cat breeds are recognized by various cat registries. ...read more.

To,
Whoever says "cat's are smarter than dogs"

Remind me when a cat detects cancer. Remind me when a cat becomes a service animal(on that note remind me when a cat learns how to open a door or answer a phone)Remind me when a cat helps on search and rescue missions. Remind me when a cat becomes a police "officer" Remind me when a cat saves an entire town.

These are what dogs do on a daily basis. What is considered a miracle for cats is done as a daily job for some dogs. Of course cats are smart! One of the most intelligent animals in the world! But don't say that cats are smarter than dogs. As they are equally intelligent.

So smart! I know dogs are smart and can do AMAZING tricks. Yes you adorable wittle doggos. This is about cats though, so they can be left alone for a week without humans! One of my cats watch us and jump up into the air and bring his paws down on the door and opens it! He pushes the chair away a little and he can shake hands with me! I have no idea why I didn't teach him anything else.

I've seen a documentary where they say that cats are 10 times better in problemsolving that dogs. The only reason why dogs are higher is because there are more dog lovers here, and they think that dogs are supersmart 'because they can do all those tricks for them. it's not 'because they are smart, it's 'because they are naive. Cats are smarter that dogs, HANDS DOWN!

Ok, cats are idiots. Dogs are awesomely intelligent. The only reason dogs are more dependent on humans is because they've been domesticated (and loyal to humans)for MUCH LONGER. I guess the haters gonna hate. All of you who say cats are smarter apparently haven't done your research, I have and I'm only 10! The dumbest dog is smarter than the smartest cat.

6 Parrot Parrots, also known as psittacines, are birds of the roughly 393 species in 92 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions.

The most intelligent and smart animal in Earth is Parrot... They are way more more intelligent than Dolphins, Chimpanzees, monkeys and dogs can ever be. Parrots know how to talk not only in their way but in any language you can throw. Can Dogs and dolphins talk? Not even when you put everything to teach them. You can set them any tasks (just like me) and they'll d without any problem. While most animals will be stuck at a random single problem Parrots can do anything which humans are capable of doing. If you can then count them.
I am not saying this ; even the Mighty Holy Quran is saying this...

The only animal that can speak human. That's right human! Parrots know what wear'e saying we humans don't know parrot language. In a test it was shown a parrot having a coversation with another parrot in korean!

Parrots should be first. Because humans are not animals. Reading below comment and I can say its true.

Well that's stupid. Parrots can just repeat things. Apes and monkeys should be first because humans aren't actually animals

7 Monkey Monkeys are haplorhine primates, a paraphyletic group generally possessing tails and consisting of approximately 260 known living species.

Primates are the only animals other than humans that can use tools. Plus we are technically also primates like monkeys so they are surely as smart as us?!

A literal study showed that they were the smartest animal other than humans. One time, when I was in Costa Rica, a family had out this big container of fruit near the beach and then suddenly a dozen capuchins appeared in the trees, and I remember one of the people looking up nervously before all of them jumped down and attacked, the first one knocking the fruit away, another chucking rocks to get them back, and finally all of them swiped some pinapple or watermelon

An intelligent ball of fluff that can use tools and become trained and enter space. Monkeys are probably even smarter than humans because monkeys don't destroy nature.

I have raised everything from dogs, cats, parrots, other fowl and even a Capuchin monkey. Let me tell you this.. THAT MONKEY was way smarter than my other animals.. Yes Dogs are good loved pets and yes parrots are definitely smart but that monkey of mine put them all to shame...

8 Elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea, extinct relatives include mammoths and mastodons. Distinctive features of elephants include a long proboscis called a trunk, tusks, large ear flaps, pillar-like legs, and tough but sensitive skin. The trunk is used for breathing, bringing food and water to the mouth, and grasping objects. Tusks, which are derived from the incisor teeth, serve both as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. The large ear flaps assist in ...read more.

Not saying that these other animals aren't smart, but how is elephant only number 10. They can mourn their dead, understand human voices, pass knowledge from generation to generation, understand sounds, have empathy, care about each other, can use tools (which we thought only monkeys and humans could do for the longest time,) and more I'm probably not thinking of, what can't they do!?

Some random guy: Survive human attacks, poachers and our constant need to destroy their habitat...

Me: Huh, sadly true, as they are endangered and poachers are still continuing to hunt it... But then again what isn't endangered thanks to us?

Guy; Uh, dogs, cats... uuuhhh... blobfish?

Me: That's what I though...

Okay Elephants can outsmart almost every animal on This list, these things are insane in intelligence, they show Empathy, Recognize their selves in the mirror, And even Distinguish different Human Languages! So these big boys are about as smart as dolphins! so hardly any animal or mabye not even any animal can beat the intelligence of, The elephant.

Most of the animals here can't even compare to the intelligence of an elephant. Elephants strike the top spot in all intelligence: cunning, creativity, thinking, & emotion. Few other animals hit all these categories & even fewer, maybe none at all, beat the elephant.

Each year, African Elephants visit a site where their ancestors died. They would memorize the spot and touch their ancestor's skull. Name one other animal that has the intelligence and emotions to do art, swim, and visit their "graveyards" each year.

9 Octopus An octopus (octopuses or octopodes, see below for variants) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda. The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, and nautiloids. Like other cephalopods, an octopus is bilaterally symmetric ...read more.

Octopuses are the smartest sea creatures. They have huge brains.

The crow is the smartest land creature? Think again, buster.

This guy should be number 2. For sure

They have nine brains.

10 Pig A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig and its ancestor, the common Eurasian wild boar, along with other species; related creatures outside the genus include the peccary, the babirusa, and the warthog.

They are actually pretty smart, but with all those insults about pigs going around it's hard to think that.

Yes. Pigs are actually more intelligent than dogs. Don't say - "Well, I can eat pigs because they're stupid".

I have pet pigs & they are so intelligent. They should definitely be higher! (Especially over cats I think)

I have pet pigs and they are really intelligent. They should be higher than that!

The Contenders
11 Gorilla Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or five subspecies. The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of ...read more.

I miss you, Harrambe. Gorillas are smart, Harrambe was, he tried to save a kid and got killed. This is proof that gorillas are even smarter than those stupid humans.

Gorrillas have more neurons and mostly central cerebral cortex neurons than chimps or any other animal other than elephants overall, elephants have more neurons in general, but apes and humans have a higher cerebral cortex count.

Estimated Average IQ: 82
Koko is an extremely smart gorilla. Also, a dog's estimated average IQ is about 25.

Have you ever heard of Koko?

12 Whale

If orcas were smarter than us they would see us as a threat in the wild. Tell me does an orca know what 2 plus 2 or 3 plus 3 is? Humans are smarter than orcas. Humans are the smartest creatures dude. Dolphins and Whales are not as smart as us dumbass.

Is this a joke, killer whales are by far the smartest creature in the sea, in my opinion.

Incredibly intelligent, just like dolphins, only with much more brain capacity.

Killer whales are a type of dolphin! What a misnomer!

13 Horse The horse is an odd-toed, hoofed mammal of the taxonomic family Equidae whose sole major subspecies (Equus ferus caballus) is a domesticate, although wild subspecies have survived into the modern period. All subspecies, including the two extant ones, descend from the Pleistocene Equus ferus. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature, Eohippus, into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began domesticating horses around 4000 BC, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BC. Horses in the subspecies caballus are domesticated, although some domesticated populations live in the wild as feral horses. These feral ...read more.

I believe horses are one of the most amazing animals ever. Not only do they have an AMAZING memory, but they can understand signals when are told. They have a connection with humans as unique as a fingerprint. The only reason why they would ever hurt someone or something on purpose is if they were bothering it. Honestly, I think in some ways horses are smarter than humans. If we were so smart then why do we even have an issue with global warming? In my opinion, horses should be at the top of the list.

I am with horses and ride them A LOT. Horses are very smart, and have they are very special. They connect with humans in a way no other animals do. If they really wanted to hurt you they would do it, but they are smart enough to get in harmony with humans. I know that humans outsmart horses, but if you don't count humans I think horses are the smartest in there own way of "talking" to humans and other horses. They actually deside a leader in the herd by who is the smartest and wisest. :) Horses are best

I thank that horses are the best animal in the world and are very very intelligent.

Horses are increditible; they're the smartest and might be number 1.

14 Crow

I don't think crows get nearly enough credit they deserve. They've been shown to use tools to solve problems, remember things over a long period of time, and even recognize human faces!

Unbelievable smart, in science the number five most intelligent animal after Chimps, Dolphins, Elephants and Orang Oetangs, humans not included. Dogs are not even top 10 as popularity has nothing to do with intelligence.

Crows can remember peoples faces, and when they can't open a nut they put it on a road, wait for a car to drive over it, and break it, then they eat the nut. Crows are genius.

They might be smart hunters, ravens are better though. Ravens are just cute friendship makers, crows are killers. They will just eat prey for the sake of it.

15 Fox Foxes are small to medium sized animals and belong to the Canidae family along with other animals such as jackals, wolves, and domestic dogs. There are 37 species of fox but only 12 are considered true Vulpes. A fox's prey is small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, eggs, insects, worms, fish, crabs, mollusks, fruits, berries, vegetables, seeds, fungi and carrion. Some of the best known species of fox are the fennec fox, red fox, gray fox, arctic fox, and the swift fox. Foxes are considered one of the most adaptable animals because it can live on almost every continent. Foxes range from all different colors and habitats. Foxes can be a deep red, a light tan, or white. If you are lucky enough you ...read more.

I apologize... I was once a rabbit fan and believed they were the smartest animal. But... I was wrong. That comment at the top that says "oh that's like saying a wooden plank is smart ooh" I was very wrong.

Foxes ARE smart. Foxes ARE intelligent, but rabbits who I have found out to be rather... STUPID! PATHETIC! USELESS! DUMB!

I freaking hate rabbits, I wish they didn't exist. I want foxes to eat them all since rabbits are soooooo useless! I really hate them. Once again, I apologize, fox lovers, for I have joined the foxes' side. Stuff rabbits.

HAHAHAHHA! This is just like saying that a wooden plank has intelligence! Even a wooden plank would be smarter than a stupid fox! I mean their IQ is just 70 but look at dogs, cats, rabbits! Their IQ level is like 100 but further down. Foxes with intelligence! HAHAHA, such a good pun.

A wild cat might probably back off but a well secured poultry farm is an open shoping store to a fox. Kills it prey at a snap. The creature is used in most African folklore because of it smart nature

Estimated Average IQ: 70
A fox is known to be a smart and cunning animal.

16 Orangutan Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. They are now found only in parts of Borneo and Sumatra, but during the Pleistocene they ranged throughout Southeast Asia and South China. Classified in the genus Pongo, orangutans were originally considered to be one species. ...read more.
17 Raccoon The raccoon, sometimes spelled racoon, also known as the common raccoon, North American raccoon, northern raccoon and colloquially as coon, is a medium-sized mammal native to North America.

These should be in the top 10 they can open door knobs, jars and can remember from 2 years back they are also known for remembering their birth and if someone feeds them they can remember exactly where it was.

Raccoons piss me off because they're so smart. They live around my house and they can get into everything

Can solve puzzles and get out of traps!

Racoons are very smart they even use sticks and twigs as tools

18 Falcons
19 Goat The goat or domestic goat (Capra hircus) is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (C. aegagrus) of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the animal family Bovidae and the tribe Caprini, meaning it is closely related ...read more.
20 Rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus.

Rats are in almost every scientific top 10 about intelligence, so they are really among the most smart animals. Because they are not popular they are low in this list. But scientists know they are way smarter than cats and dogs. Popularity is not a legal reason for intelligence!

Finally, a list where they're placed well! Yes, they're intelligent.

As a rat owner, they definitely are very smart!

Smart, especially in the zodiac!

21 Bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera. With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out digits covered with a thin membrane or patagium. The smallest bat, and... read more

Very smart. Also my favorite animal. Mix of number 1.

22 Japanese Macaque
23 Bee
24 Guinea Pig The guinea pig, also called the cavy or domestic guinea pig, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia.
25 Deer Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the fallow deer and the chital, and the Capreolinae, including the elk, reindeer, the Western roe deer, and the Eurasian elk.
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