Animal Smarts
1st Edition: which Animal is the Smartest?
The Smartest Animal Award Goes To...
I will crown the elephant as the smartest animal. They have a good memory and intelligence. Read more to find out why.
Elephants can Mourn
Elephants has a lot of feeling about their troop. When one elephant in the troop dies, those that are still alive mourn the elephant with grass and leaves and stay with the dead elephant for a week. A few years later the troop will come back to the bones of the dead elephant.
Elephants Vs. Chimpanzees Vs. Humans
Also, the elephant is smarter than chimpanzees. Elephants can tell the difference up to 6 different items. Chimpanzees can’t tell as much as the elephant. In fact, Elephants are smarter than humans. To prove that experiments were performed. The experiments’ lead researcher said this “Their abilities don’t seem to be limited in quite the same way as monkeys, apes and children would be.” Elephants have also been shown to tell the difference between human languages.
Elephant's Memory
Now I have a question for you. How many infants can your parent take care at a time? My guess is 1-6. But an elephant can take care of 30 elephant calves at a time no matter what direction or distance away. They achieve this task by creating a mental map that can track the position of each baby. They create the mental map in their mind by tracking the baby’s pee. When an elephant smells the pee of another elephant, they can record in its brain in the location and direction of the elephant, who peed.
Matriach: The Leader
They can remember where the herd has found food and water. Researchers think that the elephant’s memory is the reason why they are living for 50-60 years on average. People who study about African elephants in wild learn that Matriarchs (older female elephants who are the leaders of the herd) have a strong memory that allows them to remember allies and enemies.
Things Elephants can do like Humans
Elephant’s brain is like a human brain in structure and complexity. They can do many things like art, craft, playing, mimicry, understand human language and use of tools. When an elephant use their trunk like arms, they show an ability to use tools. The ability that elephants has that amazes people is the ability to hold a paint brush to create abstract art. I think many of you have heard about the book, “When elephants paint” by Komar and Melamid.
Elephants Understand Pointing
There is an article published by The Guardian on October 11, 2013 saying elephants understand pointing without being trained to understand the human gesture. They also have natural ability to interact with humans. Even our closest relatives, the apes fail to understand pointing without any training.
They Are Endangered!
These smart elephants are endangered and we need to save them. I am requesting you to take pledge on IFAW (International fund for animal welfare) not to buys or sell products made from killing elephants. This is the link to take the pledge http://www.ifaw.org/united-states/get-involved/pledge-save-elephants
Matriarch Elephants Protect Baby Elephant from Crocodile Attack
Cute Baby Elephants Play Football With Keepers In Orphanage