6 intelligent animals and birds on Earth after humans and where to spot them

Humans are regarded as the most intellectually developed, in short intelligent species born on Earth. But do you know, who is more intelligent after humans? Well animals. There are animals and birds on Earth which have shown cognitive abilities in specific domains like memory, problem-solving ability, communication and social intelligence, among others. But intelligence can have many definitions. Based on extensive research (including the BBC Discover Wildlife list), here are six animals whose intelligence will leave you in awe and the best places to spot them:

Dolphins, especially the bottlenose dolphins are globally renowned for their intelligence. Known as the most intelligent non-human animals on the planet. The cute sea creature displays remarkable cognitive complexity like using sea sponges to protect their beaks while foraging, or having long memories. Dolphins are known for remembering the unique whistles of companions after decades apart.

Where to spot bottlenose dolphins:

Australia
USA
Belize

Chimpanzees are closest living relatives to humans genetically. These are intelligent animals noted for their tool use and social learning. They also possess excellent problem-solving skills and can understand sign language (under scientific study). Some chimp populations have shown mirror recognition too.

Where to see:

Uganda’s Kibale National Park and Budongo Forest are known for their population
Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park
Côte d’Ivoire

Among birds, the African grey parrots are recognised for their cognitive power. A number of experiments conducted on them have shown individuals capable of understanding numbers, colours and shapes.

Where to see:

Ghana: Kakum National Park
Cameroon: Korup National Park
Central African Republic: Dzanga-Sangha Reserve

Then there are crows. The corvid family (crows and ravens) is also known for its tool-making, problem-solving skills. They also possess great memory and remember individual human faces. Their mental flexibility rivals that of some primates despite having much smaller brains.

Where to see:

Japan’s Hokkaido and Honshu regions have large crow populations
North America’s Pacific Northwest forests are also full of crows
Europe

Octopuses also have shown a unique form of intelligence. These too are known for complex problem-solving power. Their maze navigation is excellent which they use for escape planning. Because their nervous system is distributed across their arms, they can react and plan in ways unlike any vertebrate.

Where to see:

Australia: Great Barrier Reef & Ningaloo Reef
Mediterranean: Coastal waters of Greece, Italy, and Spain
Pacific Islands: Coral reefs around Fiji and Palau

The world of animals and humans are well aware of intelligence. Elephants are celebrated not just for their humongous size, but for their memory and complex social structures. They can remember locations of water for years, and can also recognize individuals. Elephants on many occasions have also shown empathy, sadness and cooperation.

Where to see:

Africa: Amboseli, Maasai Mara, Chobe National Park, Botswana
Asia: Jim Corbett & Kaziranga National Parks, India