Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who’s the smartest one of all? Creatures do many feats worthy of their Maker’s praise!  
 
Primates 

People first observed chimpanzees using tools in 1960. They use sticks to dig out and catch ants and termites. (So do crows!) They crack nuts with stones. Researchers in Belgium set up a test in 2011. They had apes called bonobos and chimps compete. One bonobo beat every other creature in working out puzzles to get walnuts. (Was she a genius or just crazy for treats?) A gorilla named Koko became famous. She learned more than 1,000 language signs. She also showed understanding of more than 2,000 spoken words before she died in 2018. 
 
Sea Creatures 

Dolphins quickly solve problems and learn commands. In addition, several bottlenose dolphins still knew unique whistles of certain dolphins even 20 years after being separated. Bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales have been filmed playing together off the coast of Hawaii. A dolphin lands on a whale’s nose. The whale lifts the dolphin out of the water. Then the dolphin slides down the whale with a splash. Wheee.  

Octopuses are master puzzle solvers. They can unscrew jars from the inside and untie knots. Some have been seen carrying coconut halves. They use them to build shelters when they happen to need them.   
 
Canines 

The smartest dog breeds include border collies, poodles, and German shepherds. They learn cues and words. They can train to smell when humans are stressed or sick. One border collie named Chaser learned the names of 1,000 stuffed animals. Her owner could call out a distinct name like “Sugar.” Chaser promptly grabbed the right toy from the pile: her rainbow bunny.