The Smartest Animals Known for Solving Problems

Intelligence in the animal kingdom manifests in fascinating ways, particularly when it comes to problem-solving abilities. From innovative tool use to spatial reasoning and adaptive learning, certain species demonstrate remarkable cognitive flexibility that helps them overcome challenges in their environments. While measuring animal intelligence presents scientific challenges, researchers have documented impressive problem-solving capabilities across diverse species through carefully designed experiments and field observations. This article explores some of the most intellectually gifted animals on our planet, examining how their problem-solving prowess helps them thrive in complex environments and what their cognitive abilities reveal about the evolution of intelligence.

Chimpanzees: Nature’s Engineers

Chimpanzees stand as our closest living relatives, sharing approximately 98.8% of their DNA with humans, and their problem-solving abilities reflect this genetic proximity. These primates exhibit sophisticated tool use that demonstrates complex cognitive processing. In the wild, chimpanzees craft fishing sticks by stripping leaves from branches and modifying the ends to extract termites from mounds—a behavior that requires planning, precision, and understanding of cause and effect. Research from the Tai Forest and Gombe Stream has documented chimps using stones as hammers to crack nuts placed on flat rocks serving as anvils, effectively creating primitive tool sets.

Even more impressively, chimpanzees show evidence of cultural transmission of knowledge, with different communities developing unique tool-using techniques that they pass down through generations. A landmark study by Dr. Andrew Whiten and colleagues revealed that chimpanzees can learn new techniques through observation and then teach these methods to others, establishing rudimentary cultural traditions. In laboratory settings, chimps have demonstrated remarkable spatial reasoning and memory capacities, with some individuals like Ai at the Primate Research Institute in Kyoto showing the ability to remember sequences of up to nine numbers—a feat challenging even for humans without specific training. These cognitive abilities highlight how chimpanzees approach complex problems with creativity and adaptability that goes beyond instinctual behavior.

Elephants: Problem Solvers with Remarkable Memory

Elephants possess some of the most impressive problem-solving capabilities in the animal kingdom, supported by their exceptional memory and complex social structures. With brains weighing approximately 5 kg (nearly three times larger than human brains) and containing over 257 billion neurons, elephants demonstrate sophisticated cognitive processing that allows them to overcome environmental challenges. In controlled studies at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya, elephants showed they could coordinate actions with partners to achieve goals—understanding that they needed to pull two separate rope ends simultaneously to obtain food rewards, and even waiting for partners when necessary.

Their tool use capabilities are equally impressive. Researchers have observed elephants in Myanmar modifying branches to create fly swatters and using trunk-held sticks to scratch inaccessible parts of their bodies. Perhaps most remarkably, elephants show evidence of self-awareness, passing the mirror recognition test that few animal species can accomplish. This self-awareness extends to problem-solving contexts, where elephants appear to understand their physical limitations and adapt their approach accordingly. At the National Zoo in Washington, DC, an Asian elephant named Kandula demonstrated insight learning by stacking objects to reach hanging food—showing an ability to visualize solutions before attempting them. Their long-term memory also enhances problem-solving, as matriarchs remember migration routes and water sources from decades past, guiding their herds through drought conditions when younger elephants would have no knowledge of these critical resources.

Corvids: Feathered Geniuses

The corvid family—including crows, ravens, jays, and magpies—exhibits problem-solving abilities that rival those of primates, despite having vastly different brain structures. These birds possess remarkably dense neural networks that enable complex cognitive functions in a brain the size of a walnut. New Caledonian crows, in particular, are master tool-makers, crafting hooked implements from twigs and creating serrated leaf edges to extract insects from crevices. In laboratory studies conducted at the University of Cambridge, these crows demonstrated causal reasoning by selecting tools of appropriate lengths and shapes for specific tasks without prior experience with those particular challenges.

Ravens display exceptional planning capabilities, storing food for future use and even deceiving other ravens about cache locations—behavior requiring theory of mind (understanding that others have different knowledge than oneself). In a remarkable study published in Science, ravens demonstrated the ability to select tools they would need for future tasks, even when the reward would not be available for up to 17 hours. Dr. Bernd Heinrich’s research revealed that ravens can solve complex sequential problems, such as pulling up strings with their beaks and feet in coordinated steps to retrieve hanging food rewards. Meanwhile, western scrub-jays have demonstrated episodic-like memory, remembering what food they cached, where they hid it, and when they did so—a three-part memory previously thought unique to humans. These feathered problem-solvers continually surprise researchers with cognitive abilities that evolved independently from mammals, suggesting that complex intelligence has multiple evolutionary pathways.

Octopuses: Masters of Marine Problem-Solving

Octopuses represent an extraordinary case of convergent evolution of intelligence, developing complex problem-solving abilities despite following an evolutionary path vastly different from vertebrates. With approximately 500 million neurons distributed throughout their bodies—two-thirds of which are in their arms—octopuses possess a decentralized nervous system that allows for unique approaches to challenges. Their problem-solving capabilities became internationally famous when Otto, an octopus at the Sea Star Aquarium in Germany, learned to short-circuit lights by deliberately squirting water at electrical outlets when bored, and Inky at the National Aquarium of New Zealand escaped his tank by squeezing through a small drain and making his way to the ocean.

Laboratory studies have revealed that octopuses can navigate mazes, unscrew jar lids to obtain food rewards, and distinguish between different shapes and patterns. In a particularly impressive demonstration at the New England Aquarium, researchers documented an octopus assembling coconut shell halves to create a portable shelter—clear evidence of tool use. Unlike many intelligent animals, octopuses are largely solitary and short-lived (typically 1-2 years), making their cognitive abilities all the more remarkable as they develop these skills without extended parental guidance or cultural transmission. Neuroscientist Dr. Jennifer Mather has suggested that the complex problem-solving displayed by octopuses evolved in response to the challenges of hunting on coral reefs, where prey is often hidden in crevices and requires creative strategies to extract. The octopus’s unique combination of flexibility (both mental and physical), curiosity, and adaptive learning represents one of the most fascinating examples of problem-solving intelligence in the animal kingdom.

Dolphins: Collaborative Problem Solvers

Dolphins possess some of the largest brain-to-body mass ratios in the animal kingdom, second only to humans, and this neural capacity translates into remarkable problem-solving abilities both individually and in groups. Bottlenose dolphins in particular have demonstrated sophisticated understanding of artificial languages, comprehending not just individual symbols but also syntax—the order in which commands are presented. At the Dolphin Research Center in Florida, dolphins have shown they can understand sentences with as many as five elements, including novel combinations they haven’t previously encountered.

Their problem-solving extends to innovative hunting techniques that vary regionally, suggesting cultural transmission of knowledge. In Shark Bay, Australia, some dolphins place marine sponges on their snouts as protective tools while foraging on the sandy seabed, a behavior passed from mothers to daughters. Even more impressively, dolphins in the same region have been documented “shelling”—trapping fish in large empty shells and bringing them to the surface to shake out their prey. Dolphins also demonstrate exceptional social problem-solving, forming complex alliances that can include multiple levels of cooperation between different groups to secure resources or mates. Research by Dr. Diana Reiss and colleagues has shown that dolphins recognize themselves in mirrors—a rare cognitive ability suggesting self-awareness. This self-recognition, combined with their capacity for vocal learning and innovation, places dolphins among the most adaptable problem solvers in marine environments, capable of generating novel solutions to challenges through both individual innovation and social learning.

Pigs: Underestimated Intellectual Giants

Despite their reputation primarily as farm animals, pigs possess cognitive abilities that place them among the smartest animals on the planet, with problem-solving skills rivaling those of dogs and even some primates. With approximately 450 million neurons in their brains (compared to a dog’s 160 million), pigs demonstrate remarkable learning and memory capabilities. Research at the Animal Cognition and Behavior Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University has shown that pigs can master complex puzzles and remember solutions for years, displaying exceptional long-term memory that enhances their problem-solving efficiency.

Pigs show particular aptitude with spatial challenges, navigating mazes and remembering locations with impressive accuracy. In one remarkable demonstration at the Pig Cognition and Behavior Lab at Purdue University, pigs learned to use joysticks with their snouts to control cursors on computer screens—a task requiring abstract thinking and hand-eye coordination. They also demonstrate social learning, observing and replicating behaviors performed by other pigs to solve problems. Candace Croney’s research has revealed that pigs understand mirrors in sophisticated ways, using reflected images to locate hidden food and showing signs of self-recognition. Significantly, pigs exhibit emotional intelligence that affects their problem-solving approach, showing signs of optimism or pessimism depending on their living conditions that influence how persistently they tackle challenges. These cognitive abilities emerge without extensive human training, suggesting innate intellectual capabilities that have been largely overlooked due to the pig’s primary role in agriculture rather than as a companion animal.

Raccoons: Adaptable Urban Problem Solvers

Raccoons represent nature’s opportunistic problem solvers, with cognitive abilities that have allowed them to thrive in human-altered landscapes worldwide. Their extraordinary manual dexterity combined with remarkable tactile sensitivity—they have four to five times more sensory receptors in their hands than most mammals—allows them to manipulate complex objects with precision. Suzanne MacDonald’s research at York University has revealed that raccoons can remember solutions to complex mechanical puzzles for up to three years, demonstrating long-term memory that enhances their problem-solving efficiency in urban environments.

What makes raccoons particularly impressive is their behavioral flexibility. Unlike many specialized problem solvers, raccoons demonstrate general intelligence that allows them to tackle novel challenges across diverse contexts. They routinely defeat “raccoon-proof” garbage cans, navigate complex urban structures, and learn from both success and failure to refine their approaches. In laboratory studies, raccoons have shown they can distinguish between quantities (understanding that two grapes are more than one), remember sequences, and even pick complicated locks through trial and error. Their problem-solving often has a distinctly persistent quality—researchers at the Max Planck Institute documented raccoons attempting up to 25 different approaches when faced with a challenging food puzzle before finding a successful method. This persistence, combined with their capacity for innovation, makes raccoons especially successful at solving the complex and ever-changing problems presented by human environments, leading some urban ecology researchers to suggest they may be experiencing accelerated cognitive evolution in response to human-created challenges.

Parrots: Vocal Problem Solvers

Parrots combine remarkable vocal learning abilities with sophisticated problem-solving skills, making them cognitive standouts among birds. Their neural architecture includes a relatively large brain-to-body ratio and an expanded telencephalon—the brain region associated with higher cognitive functions in vertebrates. African grey parrots, in particular, have demonstrated vocabulary acquisition that goes beyond simple mimicry. Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s famous subject, Alex, mastered more than 100 words and demonstrated understanding of concepts like “same” and “different,” “bigger” and “smaller,” and even basic numerical concepts, allowing him to solve problems using language-based reasoning.

Kea parrots of New Zealand demonstrate exceptional mechanical problem-solving abilities, manipulating multiple components in sequence to access rewards. Research by Raoul Schwing and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna has shown that keas can solve complex lock mechanisms, use tools, and even coordinate with other keas to pull strings simultaneously to obtain food that would be inaccessible to a single bird. These alpine parrots appear to approach problems with playful persistence, trying many different approaches until finding a solution. Cockatoos have similarly impressed researchers with their tool-making abilities—Goffin’s cockatoos observed by Alice Auersperg at the University of Vienna spontaneously crafted tools from materials like cardboard and wood, shaping them precisely to hook out-of-reach food rewards. This tool manufacturing, achieved without prior training or demonstration, represents complex causal reasoning. Perhaps most impressively, a Goffin’s cockatoo named Figaro was documented creating multiple tools with different functions for different problems, showing flexibility in his problem-solving approach. These cognitive capabilities are even more remarkable considering that parrots lack the primate hand structure that was once thought necessary for advanced manipulation and tool use.

Orangutans: Patient Problem Solvers

Orangutans approach problem-solving with distinctive patience and methodical reasoning that sets them apart from other great apes. Research at the Smithsonian National Zoo has revealed that orangutans often observe a challenge longer before attempting solutions compared to other primates, seemingly thinking through multiple approaches mentally before taking action. This deliberate cognitive style aligns with their arboreal lifestyle, where hasty movements could be fatal among the treetops of their Southeast Asian rainforest homes. In problem-solving tests, orangutans frequently outperform other apes in tasks requiring tool innovation rather than just tool use—creating novel tools for specific challenges rather than simply applying familiar techniques.

Their mechanical reasoning abilities are particularly impressive. At the Center for Great Apes in Florida, orangutans have been documented analyzing the components of locks and latches, systematically manipulating them to open enclosures. Field studies by Dr. Carel van Schaik in Sumatra documented wild orangutans manufacturing and using more than 40 different types of tools, including fashioning “umbrellas” from large leaves during rainstorms and crafting specialized probing sticks to extract seeds from difficult fruits. Remarkably, different orangutan populations develop unique tool traditions, suggesting cultural learning similar to human societies. The orangutan’s exceptional cognitive flexibility extends to imaginative problem-solving—they have been observed using flowing water as a tool to soften hard foods and constructing raised platforms to access out-of-reach objects. Their problem-solving style demonstrates not just intelligence but wisdom, with older orangutans often displaying more refined solutions to challenges than younger individuals, suggesting cumulative knowledge acquisition throughout their 45-50 year lifespan in the wild.

Rats: Quick-Learning Problem Solvers

Despite their small size and often negative reputation, rats demonstrate problem-solving abilities that place them among the most cognitively sophisticated mammals. With their highly developed hippocampus—the brain region associated with spatial memory and learning—rats excel at navigational challenges and quickly form cognitive maps of their environments. Research at the University of California, Berkeley has shown that rats not only learn maze configurations rapidly but can recall these layouts months later, allowing them to solve spatial problems efficiently even after long periods without practice.

Their problem-solving extends well beyond navigation. Rats display remarkable causal reasoning, understanding the relationship between actions and outcomes. In studies conducted at the University of Oxford, rats demonstrated they could learn to pull small chains to release food rewards, and more impressively, could determine when this action would be productive based on contextual cues. Their social problem-solving is equally sophisticated—rats have been documented freeing trapped companions from restraints even when there is no direct reward for doing so, suggesting empathy-driven behavior. They also engage in cooperative problem-solving, with research by Michael Taborsky revealing that rats will coordinate efforts to obtain food that requires multiple individuals working together. What makes their cognitive abilities particularly impressive is how rapidly they develop—rats can master complex tasks within days or even hours, while many larger-brained animals might require weeks of training. This combination of quick learning, causal understanding, and adaptive behavior allows rats to thrive in diverse environments worldwide, solving the constant problems presented by rapidly changing human landscapes and predator pressures.

Dogs: Collaborative Problem-Solvers

Dogs have evolved unique problem-solving strategies through their long domestication history alongside humans, developing cognitive skills specifically adapted for social collaboration. Unlike many independent problem solvers like corvids or octopuses, dogs excel at cooperative problem-solving that involves human partners. Research at the Duke Canine Cognition Center has demonstrated that dogs understand human pointing gestures and eye gaze as communicative tools to solve problems—an ability not shared even by our closest primate relatives. When faced with insurmountable challenges, dogs typically look to humans for assistance, showing an understanding that problems can be solved collaboratively rather than through individual effort alone.