More on the genius of Corvids and Parrots and the evolution of 'evil' behaviour.

http://www.gotscience.org/2016/03/30...l-bird-brains/

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160...did-it-persist

Animal intelligence

...as illustrated by Inky, the New Zealand Houdini octopus:

The great escape: Inky the octopus legs it to freedom from aquarium. Staff believe the common New Zealand octopus fled its enclosure when the lid was left ajar and headed to freedom down a pipe that leads to the sea.

Everyone should love the eight armed genius of the sea.

A new book on avian intelligence.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...-of-the-birds/

Even insects possess consciousness, self-awareness and egos.

Try and remember that when dealing with the harmless little beasts.

http://theconversation.com/what-it-i...iousness-57792

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/19/sc...ains.html?_r=0

http://news.discovery.com/animals/in...gos-160418.htm

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-...ego-180958824/

Not exactly an animal but it is very interesting that even slime moulds display a form of primitive 'intelligence' and the ability to learn - all without a brain or even a nervous system.

Perhaps the emergence of consciousness is a far more complicated process than we ever believed?

http://phys.org/news/2016-04-intelli...ess-slime.html

http://phys.org/news/2016-04-intelli...ess-slime.html

A lovely article on one of the most intelligent, beautiful and gentle creatures on the planet - the awe-inspiring Manta Ray.

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com...in-the-mirror/

Just read through in awe, will bookmark this and go through the links when I'm home. Really interested in animal intelligence, I notice the little things my dog does on her own accord such as when she's lying next to me and I stop stroking her, she whimpers and had figured out that it gets my attention enough to begin stroking her again until my attention is gotten elsewhere and will continue to do that until she probably gets bored and jumps down. It took me weeks to realise what she was doing, but just think it's amazing how she must have gone through her head of different ways to get my attention, knowing that in the past when she has hurt herself and has been whimpering, I've run straight over to her to see if she's OK.

Glad you are enjoying it!

These recent articles often fail to mention relative brain size is important as well - corvids brains are just as big or bigger when compared to their body mass as apes.

http://www.cnet.com/news/ravens-at-l...twithstanding/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...b0479c59d7447e

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/15...brain-size.htm

Brill'...:

I'm getting very fed up with the magpies lately, there is one that is HUGE knows exactly where the nests are and stealing the eggs and chicks..

Anyway Lord raven is a proud father....... again and the Mrs.

Crocodilians are far more intelligent than many people realise - here is a wonderful example of tool use by American alligators.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boQgZGj9Umg

Walnut brain 1 : Bird brain 0

It is hardly surprising that Homo sapiens as arrogant masters of all we survey have vastly underestimated animal intelligence - so two excellent new books are tackling the issue.

'Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals are?' and 'The Genius of Birds'.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/bo...-of-birds.html

http://nypost.com/2016/04/24/we-may-...t-animals-are/

http://undark.org/article/i-think-th...-intelligence/

Both are available on Amazon now and I might just buy them.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Are-Smart-E...M8SRPSNBFKHC7C

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Genius-Bird...387166D5RV7K90

Not sure if it's been posted but; Clever Dolphin!

Dolphin's taught to pick litter out of the pools in exchange for treats, one Dolphin was clever enough to rip up a sheet of paper and hide bits under a rock to obtain extra treats.

Eight reasons why Octopuses are amongst the top geniuses of the ocean.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160...s-of-the-ocean

Recent experiments prove that Archer fish can recognise many different human faces - not exactly a surprise to me although some people may find it interesting.

We give often give non-mammalian animals far too little credit for their cognitive abilities.

http://phys.org/news/2016-06-fish-hu...aign=item-menu

Recently found out the starlings are mimicking the 'Sparrowhawks out of the garden..

Clever birds.......Jays are normally are very good at this.

Not very surprising.

Why maniraptoran theropods have superior neural architecture to us puny mammals.

http://www.seeker.com/bird-brains-pa...858270057.html

http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2016/06/s...rm-bird-brain/

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-0...ird-brain.html

The remarkably complex social life of the much maligned Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus).

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...a-snake-levin/

For in that sleep of bees what dreams may come?

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160621-do-bees-dream

Can animals commit suicide?

It's a very complex issue which this article tackles (although I do not necessarily agree with all of it's conclusions).

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160...is-not-suicide

Latest news - monkeys have now entered the stone age

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and...700-years-ago/

It is time for some examples of felid intelligence:

Missy, a tabby from Newcastle, has something of a medical bent. When she sensed there was something amiss with her owner - if cats can ever said to be "owned" - Missy alerted her by refusing to stop pawing at her chest. "Her behaviour was so unusual I got checked out and it was found I had pre-cancerous cells".

...and cetacean compassion:

The orcas swam alongside each other, creating a wave that knocked the hapless pinniped into the water. Death seemed certain. Then something amazing happened: A pair of humpback whales turned up.

^^^ I assume that happens because the seals resemble very young whales that are in need of protection.

Incidentally, and while I remember, this free course starts on Tuesday:

http://www.wageningenur.nl/en/Educat...r-AB101x-3.htm

I think that whales are far too intelligent to mistake another species for their own calves (seals and even ocean sunfish do not exactly resemble a baby humpback).

It looks like pure altruism to me.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...les-explained/

I just love this photo of the Weddell seal resting on the brave humpback's belly.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/c...apt.1190.1.jpg

Hardly news to all you dog owners but it's nice to have a bit of scientific research on the matter.

http://phys.org/news/2016-08-dog-brains.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVzWsbpSbXs

Sadly now totally extinct in the wild but another example of corvid genius - the Hawaiian-crow.

http://www.theatlantic.com/science/a...-tools/499724/

http://www.livescience.com/56095-haw...-get-food.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37354588

http://phys.org/news/2016-09-tropica...y-skilled.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOUyrtWeW4Q