Do you know of any unexpectedly smart animals?

Question

Everyone knows that chimpanzees and dolphins are smart, and house pets always get their moment in the the sun. But what about the octopus? Or the raven? These animals have demonstrated intelligence that surprised researchers studying them.

So what about you? Do you know of any other little known geniuses? Any stories of unusual acts by goldfish, tarantulas, bats, or cockroaches? Or maybe you just wanna brag about your skateboarding dog (like we haven't seen that before...). Now's a good time to share.

Zoologists and other actual researchers are welcome.

Answer 1

Im a bit confused by the questioner and the answerers. xD

I think lots of animals are smart.

Like the way they learn and remember things.

For example, pets can remember the "clicking sound" like when used for training. So they remember something good will come out of it.

And you know those ROCK ON hand figures ppl make? My dad used to do that to our dog to flick his nose nd train him so he knows that if you do that to his face he'll be in trouble.

Answer 2

No.  Wrong.  "Everybody" does not know a smart animal.  Animals are not smart.  There is absolutely NO method of assessing intelligence in any animal other that Homo sapiens.  People suggesting chimps and dolphins are smart just flat don't know what they are talking about.  Intelligence, the word, is probably one of the most misused and incorrectly used words in the English language.  Most people think they are intelligent.  Sadly they are wrong.

If a white-tailed deer had even the tinniest bit of intelligence, it would have figured out that crossing roads in front of on coming traffic yields a dead deer.  Then it eventually would have learned to avoid traffic.  And there would be even more deer around now.

Animals have demonstrated methods of getting in and out of things and obtaining food, but they have NEVER shown any sign of intelligence.  Please stop watching those terrible nature shows.  And stop thinking just because some animal was trained to do something it has acquired intelligence.

Intelligence:  http://www.yourdictionary.com/intelligen...

Anthropomorphism: http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dic...

Edit:  sarafinn's example is just what I meant by the misuse of the word intelligence.  The duck was doing what ducks do instinctively.  Not an ounce of intelligence.

Answer 3

i've always heard that pigs are extremely intelligent and having a friend with a pet pig i have to agree.  i don't have any miraculous stories tho.  i have ducks and have been surprised by their intelligence.  a hen recently hatched 12 ducklings and one day i was shopping and became concerned about the brandnew ducklings because it was such a hot day.  i came home to find all the babies huddled around the back and sides of mama duck and she was fanning them all with her wings with a very regular and steady motion.  i was amazed.  i stood in the house and watched out the window for probably 15 minutes and she never faltered.  she kept her babes cool and they slept through the hottest part of the day!!

Answer 4

My father witnessed an incident involving a common crow. There were six soda crackers laying on the ground. This crow wanted ALL of them. Trouble was, his beak wouldn't open wide enough to accomodate them all. After trying several different tactics he eventually held three in his beak and used these three to hold the other three, like in alternating layers. He then flew off with his prize. I know some HUMANS who couldn't have come up with that solution.