Marvel at the intelligence of the 10 smartest animals on Earth

"Brian Skerry describes the exhilaration of an up-close encounter with a curious, 45-foot-long right whale."

Never underestimate the intelligence of these animals.

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10. Cats

They have incredible sensory abilities and are extremely adept at learning new skills.

9. Squirrels

They have ridiculously good memories, which come in handy when they need to remember where they stored their food.

8. Elephants

They use their brains to create and process complex social interactions.

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7. Octopus

They are skilled hunters who use complex, developed strategies to find food.

6. Dogs

They generally learn new skills easily and are quick to respond to human training.

5. Whales

They use sounds to coordinate and communicate with each other under the water.

4. Parrots

They have excellent memories and are capable of solving relatively complicated problems.

3. Bottlenose dolphins

They are so self-aware, they can recognize themselves in a mirror.

2. Pigs

Research shows that a middle-aged pig can be as intelligent as a 3-year-old human.

1. Chimpanzees

They can manipulate their environments and utilize tools to help the community. Chimps are considered the smartest primates and animals in the world.

What do you think?

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