# What is the least intelligent mammal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 13, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669 "2012-02-13T04:01:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/41 "2012-02-13T22:30:18Z")
There’s a good possibility that the winner is extinct. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/42 "2012-02-13T23:01:01Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > I get what you mean here, but I still think it’s funny because it reads like you’re worried that all the hamsters and hippopotamuses that post on this board would hijack your thread and make it about how we shouldn’t judge mammals’ value by intelligence. And you just know the dolphins who post here would be making a stink too just out of some weird mammal guilt, even though they’re obviously one of the most intelligent mammals. Seriously? Just look at some of the respondents in this thread that are just _dying_ to lecture me at length about anything resembling the anthropomorphization of intelligence. The only thing stopping them, (and it didn’t stop all of them) is my little disclaimer. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/43 "2012-02-13T23:09:02Z")
Elected Senators and representatives? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/44 "2012-02-13T23:10:42Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > NM > > _Last edited by Ambivalid; Today at 01:23 AM. Reason: Rush Limbaugh/Dittohead humor does not belong in GQ_ [Moderator Note] You’re quite correct: political jabs are not permitted in GQ, even if just in a “reason for editing” tag. Don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/45 "2012-02-13T23:17:03Z")
> [@Interrobang](#): > > Not to rain on your parade, but I have confidence that my dog is stupider than yours. My poor mutt is stupid as a box of hair. Perhaps there should be a “Stupid Dog” contest? We had one VERY stupid dog. Lovable as Hell, but I doubt there were two cells clanging around in his empty skull. I always said his parents were a rock and a stump. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/46 "2012-02-13T23:20:04Z")
Fundamental Christians. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/47 "2012-02-13T23:35:56Z")
Surprised no one here said, Possum. Vicious, ugly, rock stupid. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/48 "2012-02-13T23:54:16Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > Since no one else has said it, I will. Homo sapiens. What other mammal knowingly uses up its food sources until they are nearly extinct (bison, cod, blue fin tuna) or poisons its own environment (too many to list) to the point where it can no longer live there? I’m no tree-hugger or PETA member but that seems pretty stupid to me. Yes, but that’s _willful_ stupidity, not innate. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/49 "2012-02-14T01:32:45Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Seriously? Just look at some of the respondents in this thread that are just _dying_ to lecture me at length about anything resembling the anthropomorphization of intelligence. The only thing stopping them, (and it didn’t stop all of them) is my little disclaimer. One man’s “lecture” is another man’s “fighting ignorance.” You DID post in General Questions, not IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/50 "2012-02-14T02:04:20Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > Fundamental Christians. [Moderator Warning] **sisu** , religious jabs, like political jabs, are not permitted in General Questions, and you’ve been around long enough to know this. Given that I just mentioned the rule against political jabs, I’m going to make this one a warning. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/51 "2012-02-14T02:30:59Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Moderator Note] > > You’re quite correct: political jabs are not permitted in GQ, even if just in a “reason for editing” tag. Don’t do this again. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Aw shucks! ☹ And I thought I could get away with it that way! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/52 "2012-02-14T03:18:07Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Aw shucks! ☹ And I thought I could get away with it that way! 😃 Please see thread title. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/53 "2012-02-14T03:25:39Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Please see thread title. 😃 Ouch! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/54 "2012-02-14T03:29:56Z")
There was this Brit named Roger. I lost track of him years ago, but to this day I still slap my head at some of his idiocies. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/55 "2012-02-14T03:31:17Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Aw shucks! ☹ And I thought I could get away with it that way! 😃 Once upon a time, a trick like that contributed to getting someone banned (although in that case it was a much more severe remark). So don’t play games - moderators can read the original post. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/56 "2012-02-14T04:53:14Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Once upon a time, a trick like that contributed to getting someone banned (although in that case it was a much more severe remark). So don’t play games - moderators can read the original post. My apologies. It was all done in benign humor but I shall not do so again. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/57 "2012-02-14T05:49:31Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > Surprised no one here said, Possum. > > Vicious, ugly, rock stupid. IMHO. If you’re referring to the Virginia opossum, I did actually include them in my list of successfully-trained mammals. Placid, unique, quite trainable. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/58 "2012-02-14T08:01:37Z")
Somebody apparently tested opossum learning ability in mazes and so on, and decided that they are actually fairly intelligent, small primitive brain or not - “above dogs and more or less on a par with pigs”. Ugly, I will grant you. Even vicious, given that their response to being disturbed is likely to be to bare their very numerous and sharp teeth and hiss at you. “Playing possum” is an involuntary response on their part, and they don’t always do it. They more or less have to try to bluff their way out of danger because they are too slow to run away. But whatever else, they are clearly very adaptable, which also argues for a fair degree of smarts. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/59 "2012-02-14T15:09:00Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > When we talk about animal intelligence, one metric often used is “trainability” - the [infamous rankings](http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-training/dog-behavior-issues/article_19686.aspx) of dog breed intelligence were based on learning a cue in less than five repetitions and obeyed them 95+% of the time. > > I’ve personally trained lots of mammals. (Want a list? OK. Horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, opossums, skunks, squirrels, woodchuck, ferrets, hedgehogs, fruit bats.) All these animals have been capable of being trained, e.g., can recognize an event marker (aka bridge, usually clicker or whistle), that the marker is a result of some aspect of their behavior, to accept a primary reinforcer (treat, usually food) and, to actively seek the reinforcer through modifying their behavior. Does that make sense? > > Those animals that fulfil the metric from the dog test the best (short time to learn a cue, consistent performance) were dogs and horses - obviously, they’ve been selectively bred for trainability for a long, long time. Other domestic species, like goats, rabbits, even ferrets, I’ve found to be very motivated and relatively easy to train. > > The animals I’ve had to work harder to train include sugar gliders and sheep - these are communal living, commonly preyed upon species, with well-developed “flight” reflexes. Does this mean a sugar glider is less intelligent than a hedgehog? No, just less trainable. In some ways, trainers enjoy the challenge of a so-called “dumb” species - it just means we need to work harder to motivate the animal. My dog breed of choice, basenjis, are right at the bottom of the above list… a border collie would just seem too easy! Cool. Are you a zoo animal trainer or something? ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669/60 "2012-02-14T16:00:19Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Cool. Are you a zoo animal trainer or something? Or something 🙂 Zoo educator. When I’m not teaching kids, I’m training the program animals. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-intelligent-mammal/612669.md?page=4)