The Intelligence Of Animals

Studies, Behavior Prove There Is More Going On In Animals' Minds Than We Thought Possible

(CBS)  It seems like every month or so, there's another study coming out saying animals are smarter than we think. So what do animals think … and what do they think of us? Some revelations about animal intelligence from Tracy Smith.

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What are they thinking?

If you've always suspected that animals are smarter than they get credit for, that there's more going on behind those eyes than a desire for food or attention ... you're not alone.

In some species, especially elephants, great apes and marine mammals, the old phrase "dumb animal" borders on heresy.

In fact, the line between human and animal intelligence is fading fast.

"I think it is fair to say that literally, monthly, there are fairly major discoveries about things that we long thought were unique to humans, now look like some of the building blocks are in place in other animals," said Harvard professor Marc Hauser.

Take capuchin monkeys: they're not the brightest lights in the animal kingdom, but behind all that cuteness is the mind of a master problem-solver. Dave Peranteau works with capuchins for Six Flags in New Jersey.

He says they surprise him every day.

"And even on days off, the staff will call and say, 'You'll never guess what Jester did today," he told Smith.

For instance, Jester, a four-year-old male, taught himself to pick locks well enough to bust out of his cage.

"Not only did he let himself out," said Peranteau, "but he wanted to have party, so he went around and let all of the other animals in the area out - birds, snakes, coatis, you know, you name it. Everything was out."

But recent studies at Emory University have shown that capuchins also have the mental capacity to understand concepts like fairness, and sharing with their fellow monkeys.

"For the most part I do believe that they do have some sort of feelings," Peranteau said.

"I think many animals are more intelligent than we generally think," said Emory's Frans de Waal.

De Waal has pondered animal intelligence for decades, including a 2006 study that broke new ground about how animals see themselves … literally.

Most animals - and human children under two years old - see their mirror image as another creature: they don't realize that it's really their own reflection. But elephants do.

De Waal's team discovered this with a giant mirror at the Bronx Zoo.

"The elephant had a big mark above its eye and walked up to the mirror and started touching it," de Waal said, "so the elephant has that kind of self-awareness that you find in children over two."

It turns out that elephants have an advanced sense of self, which means (in part) that they're smart enough to be capable of really caring about others. The only other creatures thought to have this ability include apes ... and human beings.

Also, there are marine mammals like dolphins.

We all know that dolphins can be trained to do a lot of things, but are they tricks or something more?

Between shows at Six Flags, trainers lead an exercise that keeps the ultra-smart animals from getting bored.

It's called an "innovate session": the dolphins can do whatever they want, as long as they don't repeat the same behavior.

"So, they understand the concept of 'different'?" asked Smith

"Yes, they do," said Jessica Parenteau, who helps shape their behavior by blowing a whistle when they do something different. "And they'll wait to hear this whistle, [which tells them] 'That's it, that's exactly what we're looking for.' So, each time they do something new and creative, we blow that whistle."

"'That's a good boy'" said Smith.

"Yeah. And that shapes their creativity, because they're like, 'Well, I'm gonna try this then. And I'm gonna try this and see if I can get a whistle with this."

"That's incredibly smart," said de Waal. "Dolphins are known to be smart but to understand that you need to do something new each time and to innovate a new item that you're going to do, that's incredibly smart."

Many pet owners say that the most intelligent animal they know is their dog, and they do understand what we say ... at least some of the time, depending upon the tone of the voice

"If I say to my dog, 'What a wonderful dog you are,' the dog'll be very happy," said Hauser. "If I say, 'What a stupid little dog you are,' they'll also be very happy. It's the tone in my voice. It's the music that they're paying attention to, primarily. But even there, we want to be cautious, because some studies have now begun to show that dogs, for example, may actually understand that words pick out certain kinds of objects in the world. So, if I say 'Apple,' I mean that red, shiny thing that I eat, not the chair."

The difference - and what separates us from other animals - is the human ability to communicate complex thoughts with one another. But animals do seem to understand emotion.

"Are animals attached to us? Absolutely," Hauser said. "When you leave your pet behind, you see signs of depression. Is it like our depression? Well, I don't know if it's like our depression. I don't even know what your depression would be like, relative to my depression. But do animals feel strong bonds? Undoubtedly, yes."

"Can we call that love?" Smith asked.

"Why not?" Hauser said.

Of course, the question of whether the capacity for love makes animals more intelligent is probably best left to the individual ... of whatever species.

[request1]

Herd mentality? Intelligence in primates? Does "ACORN" know about this? How about the Democrats?

[u-r-right]

Might as well legalize marriage to them. There are plenty of lonely sheep and sheeple who will be willing to do anything for them.

[dbstevens]

I''m glad to see that studies are finally showing that some animals have more intelligence than some of the people who post in these forums.

Seriously though, this is nothing new. What''s new is that it''s coming to the mainstream. Not fast enough though. Human beings cause so much damage and distress to other creatures. We''re the only species that disrupts and kills countless millions of other creatures and ruins their lives and habitats. And we often don''t even notice or pay attention. Perhaps the only thing that really separates us from the other animals is our arrogance and lack of regard for other living things.

[nothappyatall]

Might as well legalize marriage to them. There are plenty of lonely sheep and sheeple who will be willing to do anything for them.

Posted by u-r-right"

Might as well marry my dogs since we have a close intimate relationship, but marriage is meaningless to animals and come to think of it it''s a stupid concept put forth by religious reich church to control procreation, money, property and tax.

The CHURCH is the one who caused the separation and used the buybull to justify wholesale slaughter of animals for our use- a species of bird made extinct because we killed so many for their colored feathers to use in women''s HATS, read the history in the book "The beast within: animals in the middle ages"

The CHURCH dictated everything people did, including eating and mating were to be done a certain way- that was DIFFERENT from animals. We share 96% the same DNA with mammals, we are basically the same.
youtube.com/user/dersheeple

[erasmus81]

I''''m glad to see that studies are finally showing that some animals have more intelligence than some of the people who post in these forums.

Seriously though, this is nothing new. What''''s new is that it''''s coming to the mainstream. Not fast enough though. Human beings cause so much damage and distress to other creatures. We''''re the only species that disrupts and kills countless millions of other creatures and ruins their lives and habitats. And we often don''''t even notice or pay attention. Perhaps the only thing that really separates us from the other animals is our arrogance and lack of regard for other living things.

Posted by brucestevens at 12:05 PM : Oct 19, 2008


I agree with everything you have said.


"It turns out that elephants have an advanced sense of self, which means (in part) that they''re smart enough to be capable of really caring about others. The only other creatures thought to have this ability include apes ... and human beings."

I wonder if the elephants can be as UNCARING and SELFISH, as human beings. I doubt it.

[tallyman2008]

Naw, animals are same as always

Only reason they seem smarter

So many humans are getting dumber

[erasmus81]

"If humans were as smart, we could understand animals."


Posted by jMcGilvray at 03:16 PM : Oct 19, 2008

Well, I can understand them perfectly.

[kenhamlett]

"So many humans are getting dumber"- TallyMan2008
Words of wisdom and prophesy.

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Anyone who cares to observe already knows that animals have intelligence and self awareness. However it is different than humans so is not appreciated.
The idea that animals are inferior has been a concerted effort in modern times because researchers and others do not care to deal with the ethics of the death and torture of animals. It has even been advanced that people are inferior and outside of normal dignity and compassion just because they are different. Reality is often ignored and ethics abandoned in the name of expedience. Humans are getting dumber indeed.

[toolmangler-2009]

Herd mentality? Intelligence in primates? Does "ACORN" know about this? How about the Democrats?
Posted by request1 at 10:28 AM : Oct 19, 2008


Too late!!!! McCain and the GOP already signed them up.

[rn11111]

What distinguishes us from animals is the capacity for abstract thought. With abstract thought we have the ability to control our surroundings in a way that animals do not, by abstract understanding of how nature works and manipulating it.

I have yet to see even the so called ''inteligent'' animals show the capacity to say understand that it is the earth that is going around the sun, not vice versa.

[babooph]

I remember the BS-"man is the only animal that kills ,other than for food",& all the documentaries showing prey always escaping-I was used to the propaganda system though--so......

[txgrouch2007]

Animals are smarter than humans.

Animals don''t WRECK THE HOME LENDING SYSTEM by trying to let EVERYBODY buy a house.

Barney Frank and the Democrats tried so hard to give everyone "affordable housing" that now the banks are failing and NOBODY can buy a house.

The result of "affordable housing" is TENT CITIES. Well, that''s as affordable as it gets. BARNEY FRANK GOT HIS WISH.

[txgrouch2007]

Humans are smarter than animals.

We wreck their habitat. But if they start messing with our habitat, we call the exterminator.

Well, OK, we''re MEANER than animals, anyway...

[rational_1]

I have yet to see even the so called ''''inteligent'''' animals show the capacity to say understand that it is the earth that is going around the sun, not vice versa.
Posted by rn11111 at 07:06 PM : Oct 19, 2008

And I have yet to see a communal species like ants or bees organize into as inept a ruling class as we''ve managed to achieve with our current President and Congress! I think we''ve achieved the pinnacle of stupidity - we rule again!

[Netterz]

Heh, I have seen some animals that do more couragious then 30 men. This about the worst article crampacked full with BS. Spend it on something more worth while, like finding some cures that pets get, like cancer, feline lukiechmea, parvo, etc. Telling me my dog not able to understand what I say when I talk is a huge pile of BS. I think I will get a new bumper sticker that says, ''my DOG is smarter than de Waal''.