When it comes to the trophy for the smartest animal species on earth, the prime candidates have always been dogs, cats, and raccoons. These animals are usually thought to be intelligent because of the things they do which indicate that they may be operating on more than just instincts. The shrewd action of animals like raccoons necessitate the involvement of specialized animal control services to handle them when they come into conflict with human beings and their way of life.
Who’s the Smartest?
The animals’ behaviours have convinced many people that something intricate is taking place inside their brains. Cats, for instance, have a tendency to be independent. They also take care of their own personal hygiene and possess excellent hunting skills. Dog lovers insist that the winner in the intelligence race is the canine species. They are convinced by dogs’ responses to human language which suggests they understand it to some extent. As pets, these animals also develop powerful bonds with their owners and are able to remember and respond to commands. This propensity to be trained makes them convincing contenders for the top spot as the champions of the animal intelligence challenge.
Raccoons – Serious Contenders in the Animal Intelligence Race
But some of the feats of raccoons have convinced many that when it comes to intelligence in the animal kingdom, raccoons take the cake. Raccoons have outsmarted people in almost every aspect of animal control. They open bins that are designed to be raccoon-proof. They have been caught red-handed in the act of turning door handles and opening them and being the stealthy bandits they are, they always seem to know when to strike as they choose to take advantage of the hours when people are least responsive. The mess they leave behind stands out from that created by other foragers as they seem to be more thorough and deliberate in their search. Many even consider the animals to be vindictive in their behaviour as a result of the state of the scenes they leave behind after their foraging runs.
If you too are convinced that the behaviour of animals serves as the best indicator of intelligence then you’ll be shocked to learn the latest discoveries of scientists. Scientists have found that it is not the things we’ve traditionally associated with intelligence in animals. Instead, they have determined the number of neurons in the brain as the more reliable indicator of animal intelligence. This emerged in a study conducted by neuroscientists at Vanderbilt University led by Suzana Herculano-Houzel. The study revealed that the number of active neurons in a dog’s brain seems to be
more impressive than those of a cat’s. By these standards, the raccoon seems to surpass all others as the study revealed that a raccoon’s bran is quite similar to that of a small primate in terms of the quantity and activity of neurons.
Animal Control Services For Intelligent Invaders
Regardless of the definitive intelligence levels, animals like raccoons inadvertently cause problems when they invade human spaces. In the final analysis, it doesn’t really matter how smart any of these animals are. Their presence in human spaces still lead to the intervention of animal control services like Skedaddle. Skedaddle’s wildlife control technicians will apply their intimate knowledge of wildlife behaviour to remove raccoons from your premises. Skedaddle’s services begin with a thorough evaluation of the space that helps to pinpoint the specific animal problems that exist. This is followed by a specialized intervention which is carried out using humane strategies and specially designed removal and exclusion tools that will prevent these break ins from reoccurring. Our technicians provide advice about the steps you can take to keep smart animals like raccoons out.
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