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Top Ten Smartest Animals in the World

Chimpanzee​
Chimpanzee​

Other members of the animal kingdom exhibit signs of intelligence as well, and some scientists might say the definition of animal vs. human intelligence is merely a matter of degree - a point that was brought home in 2005 when the London Zoo put "Homo sapiens" on display in the exhibit pictured here.

source: nbcnews.com
Bottlenose ​Dolphin​
Bottlenose ​Dolphin​

— Global Animal New research ... Jonathan Leake Dolphins have been declared the world's second ... and neocortex of bottlenose dolphins were so large that ...

Elephants​
Elephants​

The sheer size of their brains suggests that elephants must know a thing or two about the ways of the world. They have been seen consoling family members, helping other species in times of need, playing in water and communicating with one another via vibrations sensed in their feet. A crowning achievement, some researchers say, was when this female Asian elephant named Happy recognized herself in the mirror. The complex behavior is shared only with humans, great apes and dolphins.

source: nbcnews.com
Grey Parrot​
Grey Parrot​

This so-called "theory of mind" ability "is so important to our species," writes Slate's David Grimm, "that without it, we would have trouble learning and interacting with the world around us." One the smartest dogs in the world (or at least with the most impressive vocabulary) is a border collie named Rico.

Rat​
Rat​

No. 10 in our countdown of smartest animals is the rat, a highly intelligent yet much-maligned animal in Western cultures. Widely used in research, the lab rat has been known to find shortcuts, loopholes and escape routes in the laboratory experiments designed by the top scientific minds of our time.

Crows​
Crows​

Other members of the animal kingdom exhibit signs of intelligence as well, and some scientists might say the definition of animal vs. human intelligence is merely a matter of degree - a point that was brought home in 2005 when the London Zoo put "Homo sapiens" on display in the exhibit pictured here.

source: nbcnews.com
Dog​
Dog​

When it comes to canine companions, "smart" means different things to different people. Some people feel an obedient dog is smart, while others believe a dog with a mind of her own is more intelligent. Very agreeable dogs are considered smart by most human standards.

Pigeons and ​Doves​
Pigeons and ​Doves​

Other members of the animal kingdom exhibit signs of intelligence as well, and some scientists might say the definition of animal vs. human intelligence is merely a matter of degree - a point that was brought home in 2005 when the London Zoo put "Homo sapiens" on display in the exhibit pictured here.

source: nbcnews.com
Pig​
Pig​

Here's the dirt on pigs: They are perhaps the smartest, cleanest domestic animals known - more so than cats and dogs, according to some experts. But pigs don't have sweat glands, so they roll around in the mud to stay cool.

source: nbcnews.com
image: twitter.com
Octopus​
Octopus​

No. 9 in our list is the octopus, one of the smartest creatures in the sea. This animal is still poorly understood, but scientists are constantly discovering new and impressive octopus abilities. They play, solve problems, navigate through mazes and have a respectable short-term memory.