What Are The Smartest Animals On Earth ? I Have A Few In Mind.

Hello Jerryn. You are right about the sight of nature at my front door. For those of you who don't know what Jerryn is talking about, I like to feed the birds and other animals that visit my front yard. I see finches, robins, cardinals, crows, doves, blackbirds, squirrels, rabbits, cats and other animals everyday. When I was younger I had many fish tanks. They are relaxing to look at. The biggest tank I ever had was a 20 gallon tank. A 30 gallon tank must be wonderful. What kind of fish do you have? I used to have guppies, zebras, angle fish, mini catfish and algae eaters. I also had a tank for my goldfish. I heard that fish can lower your blood pressure. We had a channel here years ago that showed fish in a fish tank all day long. No sound or anything. I don't know what happened to it. I wish they would put it back on. Lloyd

I love fish! We have a creek right by our trailer and I sometimes go outside just to watch the fish swimming. When we lived in our old house we tore down we had a 25 gallon tank I believe it was and we went and bought some gold fish and an algae eater. The fish started dying one by one so we gave them to my husband's cousin who knew how to take better care of them. I would like to get more one day but I'm afraid they will dye on me again. I don't know what the problem was. We did what the pet store said to do to take care of them. We fed them and kept the tank clean. I loved looking at them. Now when we go visit his cousin I get to see them. I just like going to the pet store to look at them. They are so beautiful. :)

Hello my friend. Long time, no see. You have bought up so many great animal subjects. I know people who have parrots and they seem like a part of their family. There is no doubt that they are extremely intelligent. I've seen the story about Koko the Gorilla. Not only does she talk in sign language, she has been able to express thoughts that require multi-tasking. She not only says that she don't want to do or eat something, she say why she don't want to do it. "Koko tired." I agree with you. There should be a skin cancer detecting dog in every hospital and doctors office. Dogs just want to be loved and please us. I really hope we move in the direction of exploring the potential of all our animal friends. Thanks for your well thoughout reply. Lloyd

Wow you are truly an animal lover. My hope is to get 2 Golden Retrievers. I love those dogs. How do you 5 dogs and 5 cats get along? Are they ok with each other? I'm glad the one female dog was there in your time of need. Here is the story about the bees. Tell me what you think. Lloyd US Trains Bees to Detect Bombs UPI | November 29, 2006 LOS ALAMOS, N.M. - U.S. government scientists report developing a method for training honeybees to detect the types of explosives commonly used in bombs. The researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory say the new techniques, based on honeybee biology, might become a leading tool in the fight against the use of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. Such devices currently present a critical vulnerability for American military troops abroad and are an emerging danger for civilians worldwide. By studying bee behavior and improving existing technologies, the scientists make use of the honeybee's exceptional olfactory sense. They use the bees' natural reaction to nectar -- a proboscis extension reflex -- that could be used to record an unmistakable response to a scent. Using Pavlovian techniques they trained bees to give a positive detection response, via the proboscis extension reflex, when they are exposed to vapors from TNT, C4, TATP explosives and propellants. The research is supported by a development grant from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

Thanks for the compliment. You are truly a dog and cat lover. The reason that the puppies get adopted so fast and the kittens don't if probably because puppies are just so adorable. I know kittens are cute and cudly, but puppies have that look on their face that says "please take me home". Lloyd

That is a amusing story. I guess they have a inner sense that lets them know when no real threat is present because under normal circumstances the cat would have pounced if only out of curiousity. I hope Banjo is feeling better now. And I hope that the willy wagtail don't press its luck again. lol Take care and thanks for that story. Lloyd

Thanks for mentioning dolphins. They are truly wonderful and amazing. The United States Military are using them to detect mines and other weapons placed in the ocean. And they help fishermen in South America round up schools of fish. They are very intelligent and playful. I can't stand the thought of them getting caught up in fishing nets. And they are super acrobactic. Lloyd

Hello Melissa. Horses are wonderful animals and they are loved all over the world. I always wondered if they realized that they won a horse race. Horses were a very intrical part of the developement of the United States. Next to the dog, they are probably man's second best friend. You never mentioned why you thought that horses were the smartes animals. Please let us know. Lloyd

I love Leopards. Leopards are infamous for their ability to go undetected. They sometimes live practically among humans and are usually still tough to spot. They are graceful and stealthy. Among the big cats they are probably the most accomplished stalkers.

The show I saw was several years ago and it showed them making spiral designs and "mazes" on the ocean floor. After that I vowed, I would never eat octopus again! Not that I had ever eaten much to begin with. But, the thought of eating a creature that has enough intelligence to create a thing of beauty just for the sake of creating it is really upsetting to me.

After watching that show I have a greater respect for the octopus. Just imagine being able to change your color to blend into the backround you are in. And then being able to squirt a ink that disorientates your predator, allowing you to escape. That is just amazin. Their world is a world we will never fully understand. Lloyd

Wow I never knew that about Octopus! That is truly amazing. I wish I would have seen this show you are talking about. I would really love to see this art they create too! That would be awesome to actually watch them do it! I learn something new everyday! :)

Even though I don't have any pets at this time, I love going into pet stores. I have a 2 stores within a mile of me and there is a tiny zoo that I past on my way to work everyday. I was stunned when I looked over at the zoo and saw a few giraffes. I bought my camera with me the next day and took some pics. It's not nuts to talk to animals. I think they like it when you try to communicate with them. I know the "please take me home look" that animals use. It's like they sense that there is a better life with a family on the outside. Lloyd

Wow. Aren't you lucky. I've only been on horse one time in my life. It was at a summer camp that I went to. I pass horses everyday on my way to work. They are amazing creatures. I think that many animals can tell a good person from a bad one. Lloyd