Animal Intelligence: Beyond Instinct
For a long time, animals were thought to function almost exclusively on instinct.
Today, science is challenging that assumption: animals learn, remember, communicate, anticipate, and in some cases, display remarkable creativity. Even more fascinating, animal intelligence does not take a single form; it appears in many ways, each adapted to the unique challenges faced by different species.
Rather than asking “Which animal is the most intelligent?”, researchers now focus on a more meaningful question: How does each species use its cognitive abilities to survive and thrive in its environment? As we celebrate World Animal Intelligence Day on February 7, let’s take a dive into the minds of some truly surprising animals!
What exactly is animal intelligence?
In animals, intelligence isn’t measured by report cards or IQ tests. Instead, it’s expressed through a range of mental abilities, including:
- learning through experience;
- remembering useful information; solving new problems;
- adapting to changing situations;
- interacting with others, sometimes in highly complex ways.
For example, a rat can memorize a maze and improve its performance over time. A pigeon can recognize hundreds of different images. An octopus can learn how to open a screw-top jar to access food. In each case, the animal uses its intelligence in ways that make sense for its lifestyle. No, they can’t learn to play the violin, but they don’t need to!
When animals use tools… or invent them!
Tool use has long been considered a hallmark of advanced intelligence, and some animals truly excel at it. Crows and jackdaws are famous for their ingenuity. They can bend metal wire to create hooks, stack objects to reach a reward, or choose the most effective tool among several options. This isn’t simple imitation: they adapt their actions to the situation at hand.
Among chimpanzees, researchers have observed the use of twigs to extract termites, stones to crack nuts, and even local “traditions” passed down from one generation to the next. Some communities use different tools to accomplish the same task, an indication of a form of animal culture.
Even more surprising, octopuses have been seen carrying coconut shells to use as mobile shelters, hiding from predators. This behavior requires planning ahead and anticipating a future need.
Memory, learning, and planning
Animal memory can be truly impressive. Blue jays can hide hundreds of food caches and remember their exact locations weeks later. Some even adjust their choices based on how quickly different foods spoil, favoring those that last longer: a clever rebuttal to the expression “birdbrain”!
Elephants are well known for their exceptional social memory. They can recognize individuals they encountered years earlier and remember ancient migration routes spanning hundreds of kilometers.
In bees, learning takes the form of the famous “waggle dance,” a sophisticated body language that communicates the direction and distance of a food source to other members of the hive. This requires both a mental map of space and precise communication.
Surprisingly advanced social intelligence
Many species live in groups, which requires advanced social skills. Wolves, for example, coordinate their movements during hunts, adjust roles within the pack, and respond to the behavior of other members. Dolphins use specific vocalizations, sometimes compared to “names”, to identify one another. They cooperate to catch fish, protect vulnerable individuals, and fend off predators.
Even species once thought to be less complex, such as chickens, have demonstrated differentiated alarm calls depending on the type of threat, as well as sensitivity to the emotions of other birds, suggesting a form of empathy.
Self-awareness: recognizing oneself… or not
Many people have heard of the famous mirror test, often used to explore self-awareness. In the past, it was considered the defining proof, along with tool use, of animal intelligence. When an animal recognizes that the reflection it sees is its own, for instance by trying to remove a paint mark from its body, it suggests self-awareness: an understanding that the image in the mirror is not another individual, but itself.
This behavior has been observed in great apes, elephants, dolphins, and certain bird species such as magpies. This does not mean that other animals are “less intelligent,” but rather that self-awareness is only one form of intelligence among many.
An intelligence adapted to each species
One fundamental point: judging animal intelligence through a human lens is both inaccurate and unfair! Each species possesses intelligence shaped by millions of years of evolution, perfectly suited to its needs. Animal intelligence is therefore diverse, specialized, and deeply contextual.
Exploring animal intelligence transforms our relationship with animals. The more we understand their cognitive and emotional abilities, the more we recognize them as individuals, each with their own needs, preferences, and limitations. In modern zoological settings, this knowledge plays a key role in guiding habitat enrichment, animal care, mental stimulation, and overall well-being.
Stimulating intelligence every day: enrichment programs at the Zoo
At the Zoo, animal intelligence is actively encouraged every day through enrichment programs. These activities are designed to stimulate curiosity, problem-solving, and natural behaviors. They may include food-based challenges that require patience or strategy, objects to manipulate, paths to explore, or new situations to analyze.
The goal is simple: encourage animals to think, choose, solve problems, and adapt, just as they would in the wild. These mental stimulations directly support cognitive health, emotional well-being, and overall fulfillment, while also helping animal care teams better understand each individual’s abilities and personality. And let’s be honest: creating new and engaging enrichment for the animals is also incredibly enriching for the animal care staff!
Animal intelligence reminds us of one essential truth: we share our planet with sensitive, ingenious beings, deeply adapted to their environments. Learning more about them helps us respect them better… and protect them more effectively.
