10 dumbest animals on earth that will make anyone feel smart
Animals make a great addition to the ecosystem. But do you know that some of the dumbest animals on Earth endanger their survival with silly actions? While animal intelligence is debatable based on defence and survival tactics, it is much easier to tell a dumb animal by how it compromises its existence.
Source: UGC
What is the dumbest animal in the world? The entire animal kingdom has hundreds of animals, small and large. Some are considered smart, almost with the same thinking capacity as humans, while others are considered foolish. Discover the top 10 stupidest animals in the world.
Dumbest animals on Earth
For years, chimpanzees and dolphins have been contesting for the position of the smartest animals in the world. The competition has remained fierce, and no attention is given to the stupidest animals, who avail themselves as prey to intelligent predators. Here are the top 10 least intelligent animals.
1. Ostrich
Source: UGC
Ostriches are known to have tall, strong legs that allow them to sprint at a constant speed of about 40 miles per hour. They also have large eye diameters that allow them to spot predators from a distance.
When confronted unexpectedly, ostriches can use their strong legs to kick and outsmart their enemies. However, this is contrary to their survival intelligence. When confronted with danger, ostriches flop on the ground with their necks and heads outstretched in front.
This makes them think they are invisible, though the grey, pink, or peach colour of their necks and heads blends with the sand. They also close their eyes and think their enemies cannot see them.
2. Sloths
Source: UGC
Found mostly in South and Central America's lowland tropical regions, sloths are tree-dwelling mammals that spend most of their time sleeping. They are characterised by their sluggish movement and extremely low metabolic rate.
Since they spend almost 20 hours sleeping in tree canopies, sloths generally need no energy to perform other activities, which explains their low metabolism. What makes sloths among the top 10 least intelligent animals is that they are useless creatures that contribute nothing to the ecosystem.
The only thing they do when not sleeping is to trip in the shrugs and then climb the tree to sleep. Sloths are also so stupid that they mistake their limbs for tree branches. As a result, they can slip, fall, and die instantly.
3. Koala
Source: UGC
Native to Australia, koalas are also tree-dwelling and plant-eating mammals that feed primarily on eucalyptus leaves. Most people still refer to koalas as koala bears, but they are marsupials strongly related to wombats and kangaroos.
Despite being among the most adorable creatures, koalas are also the stupidest animals in the world. Regarding intelligence, koalas have the smallest brain-to-body ratio, an aspect that contributes to their dumbness. For instance, koalas can forget their food and starve to death.
They also fight for eucalyptus leaves when they can feed on other leaves like acacia and melaleuca. Moreover, koalas do not have a keen eye for hygiene, contributing to almost 90% of koalas being infected with chlamydia.
4. Panda bear
Source: UGC
The giant panda or panda bear, scientifically known as Ailuropoda melanoleuca, is the rarest bear species in the world. The species has a hefty frame with a black and white coat, making it the cutest but distinctive panda species.
What makes a panda bear the dumbest animal on Earth? While giant pandas are scientifically classified as carnivores, they prefer to eat bamboo, not meat. They are also less romantic and have no interest in sexual intercourse, which makes them among the endangered species.
Panda mothers are poor in raising their young ones and even kill them intentionally when they are tired of raising them.
5. Goblin shark
Source: UGC
Sharks are among the most dangerous sea creatures that understand their surroundings and are known for their instinctive killing tactics. They also display complex behaviours and have a good memory, making catching them challenging.
However, this is contrary to the goblin shark, one of the deep-sea shark species that reside in deep, dark, and icy parts of the Pacific, Atlantic, or Indian Ocean. Unlike other sharks, a goblin shark has a flabby body and short fin, making it slow, lazy, and sluggish. It also has poor eyesight, making it a poor hunter.
Instead of hunting for food, a goblin shark waits for prey to approach it. It also stays at one point for a long time, making it easier for predators to catch it. These stupid acts endanger its survival in the sea.
6. Horned lizard
Horned lizards, as the name suggests, look unusual with their spiny bodies, flat and short shapes, and blunt snouts. Like sloths, they also spend most of their time sleeping lazily and waiting for ants to wander by before they eat them.
When threatened, horned lizards can shoot blood from their eyes, which is toxic to their predator's canines. They can also inflate their bodies twice their size and look like spiny balloons, scaring away predators.
The survival traits do not make horned lizards any smarter when looking at what's the dumbest animal on Earth. These animals are so dumb that they can befriend anything they are close to.
Due to this lack of caution, horned lizards are vulnerable to predator attacks. Some people also take them from their ecosystems and sell them through the pet trade, making horned lizards among the endangered species.
7. Slow loris
Source: UGC
Slow lorises are found all over Southeast Asia and its neighbouring regions. They are among the strepsirrhine monkey genus that consists of various loris species.
Slow lorises spend most of their day sleeping alone, making it hard to tell their social structure. They also are among the venomous animals since they secret a poisonous substance that can kill their predator instantly.
Despite this exclusive defence mechanism, a slow loris is also the dumbest animal that hides its head between its legs when a predator approaches. It believes enemies cannot see it with its head hidden, endangering its survival.
A slow loris also stops running suddenly when chased, making it easier for predators to catch it.
8. Norwegian lemming
Norwegian lemmings are small rodents found mostly in northern Fennoscandia. They prefer dwelling near water bodies and believe their long incisors can scare away enemies.
Unfortunately, this earns them a spot on the list of the dumbest animals on Earth. While self-defence is a trait for intelligent animals, Norwegian lemmings are so stupid that they attack even animals larger than them.
When a Norwegian lemming sees an enemy approaching, it starts screaming and gnawing its long incisors, which draws the enemy's attention. Norwegian lemmings are also known to jump off ledges just because their leaders did so.
9. Komodo dragon
Source: Getty Images
Komodo dragons are the largest members of the lizard family found in Indonesia. They are characterised by huge jaws that can open extremely wide to accommodate any prey size.
They also have enough E. coli and other dangerous bacteria in their mouths to kill prey with a single bite. Komodo dragons are among the dumbest animals in the world that think with their stomachs and not their heads.
Komodo dragons eat more food than they need for survival (almost 80% of their body weight). Excessive eating earns them more weight, which slows them down.
When they perceive a predator coming, they vomit all their stomach content for them to run faster. These stupid actions cause them head trauma, which is never a good thing for lizards.
10. Killdeer
Source: UGC
Killdeer are woodland birds found mostly in the Midwest of the United States. Despite being excellent swimmers and having functional wings, they are known for lacking survival skills.
They also spend most of their time on the ground instead of flying beyond the predators' reach. When a killdeer sees a predator approaching, it runs toward it while screaming its call, drawing the predator's attention.
Killdeers also build their nests on the ground where predators can easily attack and snack on them. These poor survival skills, among others, are why killdeers are known to live a maximum of 11 months.
Intelligence is always perceived as a vital survival tool for most animals. Lack of defence, problem-solving, and hunting skills are majorly attributed to low intelligence, which is seen in the dumbest animals listed above.
Legit.ng recently published an article on common birds and their spiritual meaning. Birds are widely regarded as symbols of freedom and eternity due to their ability to soar into the skies.
Bird symbolism exists all over the world as part of different cultures, religions, and traditions. Every bird is uniquely breathtaking and symbolizes certain aspects of our lives, nature, and the unknown world.
Source: Legit.ng
