The pig, one of the most intelligent species

Recognizing themselves in a mirror, learning to perform certain behaviors and solve problems faster than other animals are some of the skills of pigs, considered to be one of the smartest species, even more than chimpanzees, dogs or dolphins.

To demonstrate this, a group of scientists from the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) carried out a study to verify that pigs are sensitive and intelligent animals, which become aware of their own existence. Furthermore, they have the ability to develop certain skills that allow them to gain knowledge to develop complex problems.

Thus, this study showed that pigs are able to recognize themselves in a mirror and understand that certain objects they saw were only a reflection, and that they were not behind the mirror.

In turn, it was shown that pigs are capable of solving problems faster than other animals such as cats, dogs or chimpanzees, considered one of the most intelligent species. Precisely in this sense, the writer George Orwell, in his book Animal Farm (1945), places pigs as the leaders of a revolution to drive humans from their farm and create a system of self-government.

On the other hand, other studies carried out on pigs conclude that these animals are sociable, especially when they live in freedom. Furthermore, they are curious and form groups of affinities. Regarding sows, they conclude that they are protective and careful of their young.

Finally, a study with pigs for the neuroscientist at Emory University (Atlanta, USA), Lori Marino, concludes that pigs have an excellent long-term memory, they are skilled at locating objects in difficult spaces, they have a good sense of orientation, they learn symbol combinations and have complex social structures. In addition, in different tests it was shown that they can learn to use a command to manipulate a cursor on a screen, a test that only chimpanzees had managed to perform, a species considered to be the closest to humans.

With these results, the different studies insist on the erroneous and generalized version that we have about the fact that pigs are less intelligent than other animals with which we live, such as dogs or cats, and conclude that, in a similar environment, pigs can be as empathetic as our favourite pets.