One of the reasons that people have considered humans to be the highest order of animal is our cognitive processes. We, unlike other creatures, can conceptualize and understand the use of symbols for things in our environment. Before recent studies to the contrary, animals were thought to be unable to do this with humanlike intelligence. Scientists have now discovered through extensive research that some animals can show a higher intelligence, though at still a lower level than most humans.
Although thought to be the closest relatives to humans, the great apes are not alone in their similarities of cognition to us. Among other animals studied are the African Grey Parrots, pigeons, dogs, and several species of cetaceans. These others may not make the headlines as much as a signing gorilla, they have lead us into some enlightenment about cognition of the animal kingdom.
One study into the mind of animals involved a Bonobo, or Pygmy Chimpanzee, named "Kanzi". The researcher, and later author, of this study was Sue Savage-Rumbaugh. Savage-Rumbaugh began her work with two male chimpanzees named Sherman and Austin. She wanted to show that the chimps could do mare than just imitate the teachers. The chimps showed humanlike qualities in communicating and sharing during food-sharing tasks.
Savage-Rumbaugh then turned her attention to studies with bonobos. The bonobos are unique in that they are more socially attuned and calmer by far than their cousin Chimpanzees. "Kanzi" was taught like a devloping human infant. By this fashion, he learned to use symbols called lexigrams to communicate. "Kanzi" amazingly showed a rudimentary ability to use syntax.
A great interest has been taken in the cognitive abilities of gorillas in the last few years. Researchers have taught several gorillas the ability to communicate through sign language. These gorillas have gone so far as to indicate their favorite books, favorite colors, favorite T.V. shows, favorite toys, etc. The most popular of these signing gorillas today is Koko.
Another primate of great interest is the Orangutan. Anyone who has watched the movie Murder in the Room Morgue probably has wondered just how intelligent an Orangutan is. These "intelligent" primates have been known to pick the locks to their cages and take their young to the zoo keepers for vacinations.
Another study was done with an African Grey Parrot named "Alex". Alex has lived for 17 years in the lab of Dr. Irene Pepperberg. He can use more than 100 English words correctly to describe objects in the lab. One example of Alex using a cognitive process was when he learned that triangles have three corners and squares have four corners. Later when shown a football, he refered to it as a "two-corner", and called a pentagon a "five-corner".
Pigeons have also displayed higher forms of cognition. At Harvard scientists have discovered that pigeons can conceptualize in a a suprisingly human fashion. They can distinguish between man-made and natural objects, male and female humans, age and races, and size. They have also learned to recognize the 26 letters of the alphabet, though they do get confused sometimes with the C and G, and the W and V(like many elementary children).
Dolphins have become of increasing interest to animal cognition. Humans have been searching for a way to communicate with these mammals for years. The lastest method that seems to be working well is the use of an underwater touchscreen computer. Other studies are being done on how dolphins communicate with their young. Currently, tapes of dolphins communicating with their young on the telephone are being analyzed by researchers.
The ability of certain dogs to display intelligence is another important topic to animal cognition researchers. According to researchers, the border collie is the most intelligent dog. Others at the top of the list are the poodle, german shepherd, and golder retriever. These dogs do more than just understand simple commands such as "sit". They have also learned how to perceive what their master wants through the inflection of his voice.
