Mammals, represented in nature by more than 4 thousand species, differ from each other in body weight, shape, and habitat conditions. The mammalian class is considered the smartest among the animals inhabiting the planet. In their numerous families, there are those in whom the intellectual abilities are very highly developed.
Monkey
The family of primates, which should include gorillas, chimpanzees, monkeys, orangutans, baboons, gibbons, rightfully heads the list of the smartest mammals. This is no coincidence, because this group includes man - the most intelligent creature on the globe.
According to biologist Edward Wilson, chimpanzees rank first among primates in the development of intelligence. They are very much like people in their habits, "character traits." Chimpanzees have excellent memories. They can show human qualities: the ability to empathize and help others, and show feelings of joy and anger.
Primates have well-developed cerebral hemispheres, they are characterized by quite good language skills that facilitate communication with individuals of their own species.
Monkeys are wonderful parents and educators: they treat their cubs very carefully, teach them all known skills. They are able to perfectly transfer different information to each other.
Tools of labor are needed not only for people, but also for monkeys: these animals often use them, for example, in the process of obtaining food.
Dolphins
People learned about the amazing abilities of dolphins in the middle of the twentieth century, when these mammals began to be comprehensively studied and taught to be trained.
Dolphins, like humans, have a social life; the female mother teaches her cubs the rules of existence in the dolphin "state" for several years.
These mammals have a very complex language that humans are trying to figure out. Experiments show that dolphins have a typically human trait - self-awareness.
The high level of intelligence of bottlenose dolphins was observed by scientists in the Pacific Ocean. In search of food, these animals showed a truly human invention: before turning over stones on the seabed, they wrapped their delicate nose with a sea sponge.
Nature has endowed the brain of dolphins with a unique property: the cerebral hemispheres sleep in turns, since they have to constantly be responsible for breathing, forcing the animal to float to the surface of the water from time to time at night.
Dogs
A devoted friend of man - a dog, 10 thousand years ago began to faithfully serve people, is always there and at any moment is ready to help its owner.
But dogs are also very intelligent pets. They perfectly understand many words of people and their gestures, are easy to train. For example, dogs can be taught to perform the simplest mathematical operations, to distinguish between images in photographs. Poodles are among the smartest among the representatives of a large number of dog breeds.
Pigs
The intellectual level of pigs is comparable to the mental abilities of dogs and cats, and in some ways may even surpass them. For example, as a result of an experiment conducted by scientists, which involved teaching pigs to move the cursor on the screen, pigs coped with the task assigned to them as well as chimpanzees.
These pets live according to a certain daily routine, feeling very well the time of day. They freak out for a few minutes before feeding, and deviating from the routine for a short time can cause them to react negatively. Therefore, Academician I. Pavlov noted the pig as the most "nervous" animal.
The most obedient animal
Those who think that domestic sheep are stupid animals are mistaken. Zoologists who have studied them have proved the opposite: sheep are smart and quick-witted and are only slightly inferior to cats and dogs with their intelligence.
These animals are able to distinguish geometric shapes and colors, have excellent memory. Sheep easily select feeders with food according to their color, quickly distinguishing from empty ones. Once assimilated information is stored in the memory of sheep for about three years. They recognize well in the grazing dense flock of their fellows, whom the shepherd can sometimes hardly distinguish.
Sheep are not the stupidest, but obedient animals.
