Even though humans may never truly understand animals, there is no denying that some animals are smarter than others thanks to visible traits like their brain size, adaptability, agility, survival skills, and social interaction. Considering these factors, animals such as Sloths, Killdeers, and Kakapos are listed as "dumb" or "unintelligent".
In this article, we will explore 7 top dumbest animals and why people think they are unintelligent.
7. The Giant Panda
At first glance, the innocent demeanor of the panda bear would leave you thinking they are intelligent however, this isn't entirely true. They are sluggish animals that would rather eat bamboo for several hours to maintain their energy levels than search for high-nutrient foods despite having a strong sense of smell that would have made food searching easy.
Consequently, they lack interest in sexual intercourse and sometimes forget how to mate. This explains why they are classified as one of the most unromantic animals and endangered species in the world. Since they lack feelings, the Panda mothers raise their young very poorly and can intentionally kill them if it gets frustrating.
6. Slow Loris Monkey
This animal lacks problem-solving ability and behaves cowardly when faced with a predator. Rather than attack with a bite or run away, the slow loris monkeys would instantly freeze and hide their faces between their legs thinking that they had become invisible. For this reason, some parts of Indonesia call them 'malu malu' or 'shy one'.
When lorises want to add some drama to their defense, they raise their arms and lick a highly toxic venom secreted from the glands of their upper arm while getting ready for a bite. Even though they rarely strike, research has proven that their venom is capable of causing necrosis instantly.
Despite being on this list, the Slow Lorises are lovable when seen during the day and can be compared to a sleeping baby. These nocturnal primates native to Southeast Asia possess round eyes, chubby faces, and sharp claws. These nocturnal primates are native to Southeast Asia.
5. The Killdeer
Ever heard of birds that build their nest on the ground? Meet the killdeer, birds who survive for a maximum of 11 months due to their poor survival skills and defense mechanisms.
First, they run around screaming their call to attract the attention of predators and when faced by predators, rather than run away, these birds run towards them. Killdeers act even more foolishly when they pretend to be injured to get their predator away.
While their names suggest that they are dangerous or some kind of smart bird, they simply remain just a name.
4. The Jerboa
Animals without any defense mechanisms against predators are often considered dumb and the Jerboa makes the list. They hop in a zig-zag pattern to confuse their predators which is rather funny to watch considering their tiny front legs and large hind legs.
Surprisingly, this funny movement sometimes provides them a route of escape but not always. These rodents also prefer to navigate at night using their whiskers which most times leads them into a ditch. Another reason they are on this list is their inability to find, store, and protect food.
3. The Sloth
Thinking of an animal that is carefree even when faced with death? meet the sloth which is mostly found in tropical jungles of South and Central America. They are so sluggish that they would do nothing even in the face of death. What's responsible for this is their relatively small brains which limit their cognitive ability.
They spend most of their time sleeping or hanging upside down on trees and would only jump down once a week if they needed to excrete. According to some research, sloths have at some point mistaken their limbs for tree branches causing them to fall and die.
Nonetheless, this lazy attitude helps them conserve energy as they rely on a simple diet of leaves.
2. The Kakapo
According to research, the Kakapo may be one of the world's oldest birds; if this is correct, it explains why they are always curious. These huge, flightless, nocturnal birds are mostly found in New Zealand, and remain the only flightless parrot in the world.
While their curiosity would often pass off as being intelligent, this isn't the case as it has brought them more trouble. They mostly rely on camouflage to avoid predators. However, they remain vulnerable to mammals like cats and stoats. Since this parrot owl has no defense mechanism, they often freeze in the face of danger without even trying to run or fight somehow.
1. The Koala
On this list of dumb animals, we've got many reasons for reserving the first spot for the koala, sometimes referred to as the koala bear. This plant-eating mammal has one of the smallest brain-to-body ratios among mammals, limiting their cognitive ability.
Since they are often unbothered by what goes on around them, the koalas spend time on trees either eating or eating the eucalyptus leaves. Following this low-nutrient diet, they spend almost 18 hours upwards eating and digesting.
Despite being considered dumb, some of these animals excel in their ecological niche and demonstrate their intelligence in several forms that will leave you amazed.
Comments