What is the smartest animal?

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It is very hard to measure intelligence in animals the same way it is hard to measure human intelligence. Animals are smart in different was but some animals are blatently smart. Even animals you wouldn't expect to be smart. You can look up the animals on this pole and see that they are actually EXTREMELY smart. Even octopus's are extremely smart and show human emotion. In your opinion which of the animals on this pole is the smartest. Also, If you think another animal not on this pole is the smartest, say so.

Crows are supposedly as intelligent as apes.

Well, humans are the third smartest species on Earth, while dolphins are the second smartest.

I'd say the smartest animal is the one that has thus far evaded discovery by man!

That would surely be very smart.

(One such animal whispers to another: "Don't let the humans know we are smarter than them... they will only try to exterminate us")

Apes.

Hands down.

I think that apes are the smartest. They're the most trainable.

I disagree. Cats are more intelligent, look at how well they train humans to be servants. Human feed me. Human stoke me now. Human stop stroking me now I've had enough. Human I am going out now and I will come back when I'm good and ready.

Besides, cats have that superior arrogant look and glare at humans like they are servants.

I think dolphins are the smartest. I suspect they are the most telepathic of all animals. Humans are probably the second most intelligent and elephants come in third.

I also love crows. Wolves are my favorite animal though.

?

You need to read more Douglas Adams.

Cats.

What other animal would choose to receive so much from humans, yet give so little, and without actually being a parasite?

I have always heard that dolphins were the smartest.

Those smarmy white mice.

Well, I'd say that humans have the potential for being the smartest animal. But I would have to go with birds... I just love 'em.

You all make good points. I thought I would try to find sources explaining the intelligence of the animals in my poll so you can see how intelligent.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/apegenius/ - APES

http://www.natureinstitute.org/pub/ic/ic5/elephant.htm -ELEPHANTS

http://www.highnorth.no/Library/Myths/br-be-an.htm - DOLPHINS AND WHALES

http://www.livescience.com/animals/0611 ... smart.html - MANATEES

http://www.slate.com/id/2192211/ - OCTOPUS

Of course, depending on what you mean by "smartest", if the criterion is measured in any of the following ways:

• Most numerous.
• Most habitats.
• Most variants.
• Largest percentage of the mass of the Earth.
• Fastest evolving.
• Longest period of existence.
• Longest lived.
• Fastest to reproduce.
• Most adaptable.
• Etc.

... the the answer is "bacteria".