Are Capybaras Smarter Than Dogs?

Capybaras are quite smart. They’re not as sharp as other animals in the animal kingdom, but they’re smarter than most people think. In fact, they may even be smarter than dogs. The capybara’s intelligence is hard to measure since it’s a different type of intelligence from what we see in dogs.

However, lots of anecdotal evidence suggests the capybara is the more intelligent mammal of those two. Evolutionary psychologist David Puts performed a comparative study on the brain-to-body ratio (a good way to judge intelligence), and he found that the capybara beats your average dog (and human) at 2.

It is interesting because, in the animal kingdom, “smarts” can be tricky to quantify. Some people would argue that the best way to determine intelligence is through the complexity of language. I do not know if they are able to communicate with us, but it seems the capybara uses different signals to convey the same message.

The low growls, grunts, and hisses; mean that there is an absence of clear communication but still a complex thing going on. Another way some might think about smartness is by how well you could describe a capybara.

Their ability to change colors to camouflage in their surroundings and swimming abilities, as well as swimming in groups for protection, makes them seem a little less smart.

Why Capybaras Are Smarter Than Dogs?

Dogs are trainable, but capybaras are independent thinkers. Capybaras need to be engaged and challenged through their own curiosity so that they move freely and ferociously in their environment with confidence and self-esteem. No one can teach a capybara the way to balance on a ball or rollover.

They decide on their own. There is no right and wrong way to do things with a capybara; there is their way, your way, and the smart way. And the smartest thing we can do is listen to them.

Capybaras are known for their early adoption of swimming as a limb and relatively efficient style, making them naturally curious and adaptive creatures that can thrive in different environments.

Capybaras eat a very healthy diet; they live 4 times longer than dogs and have no fleas or ticks. A Capybara is not dirty by nature and doesn’t mark its territory in your place. It doesn’t need to take a walk every day or two hours.

Capybaras grow up slowly.  You might think this is an animal that lives near or in the water. Well, you are now wrong because capybaras live in forested areas, and they like to live in treetops too.

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What Is The IQ Of A Capybara?

The average capybara’s IQ is high, a little low for a primate, but higher than your average house cat. The key thing to remember is that they can get really good at certain things. For instance, they are great swimmers and know what to do if you throw one of their friends into the water, even if it isn’t a ball or other object.

Contrary to popular belief (because of their appearance), they have no trouble walking on two feet and can run pretty fast. If domesticating them ever becomes an idea, these should be considered. They respond very well to treats and like to play games, some of which involve using their teeth to demonstrate knowledge or skill.

Perhaps these facts show that they are more likely than not smarter than your average house cat, but don’t go expecting them to replace the dog in many households any time soon because of it.

Which Capybara Has the Highest IQ: Male Or Female?

Female capybaras have higher intelligence than males, but whether their IQs are truly equivalent is debatable. With a difference of about 20 points on the Cattell scale, female capybaras are likely superior to their male counterparts – at least in how tests show intelligence.

How Smart Are Capybaras Compared to Humans?

Unfortunately, there are no concrete data on a capybara’s intelligence. That said, the largest Capybara ever captured had a brain weighing almost 6 pounds.

That, in conjunction with its average brain size (more than double that of a dog), strongly suggests a level of intelligence on par with many other members of the order Rodentia, including rats and beavers.

Plus, if we look back at capybaras historically, it may not be too surprising that the capybara is so highly intelligent and fun to work with. After all, it’s been around for millions of years and has presumably had ample time to adapt to changing environments and circumstances.

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Are Capybaras Emotionally Intelligent?

Capybaras clearly have a fair amount of commonly valued emotions that are shared with humans, although there may be some that are not. Also, it is difficult to determine the validity of an emotion with the same name and appearance across many different species of animals because the behavior is hard to observe in most other animals besides capybaras.

Although this research could not identify all the emotions and feelings capybaras have, it did unlock some questions about their social interactions and relationships, which may lead to further insights into their intelligence.

Are Capybaras More Intelligent than Cats?