Using treats to train animals may be masking their true abilities. Watch the videos as you read the article.

In response to movies about supersmart apes, National Geographic compiled this slideshow about how smart apes really are.

Leatherback turtles, even as tiny hatchlings, can swim across miles of ocean and return to the beach where they hatched. Find out how these amazing animals navigate without GPS.

A study says cats react to the sound of their names, even if they don’t quite understand what it means.

Read about the benefits of zebras’ stripes.

During the Australian summer, snakes follow their instincts to survive the brutal heat and find water by seeing refuge in homes. Learn about the problems their smart decisions can cause for humans.

Even when it doesn’t seem to benefit them, dolphins will often go to great lengths to help and interact with humans. Read about some well-known examples and possible reasons for this behavior.

There’s a very good reason why people refer to a persuasive facial expression as “puppy dog eyes.” Read about one dog owner’s experiences with canine communication.

Elephants travel in herds and are very social. When a fellow elephant is upset, they have a unique way of consoling it.

If you think an octopus is just a weird, creepy sea creature, think again. An octopus is as intelligent as a dog!

In this interview, the author of the book Beyond Words: How Animals Think and Feel discusses examples of animals showing intelligence and empathy.

What’s the difference between a dog and a wolf, and what does domestication have to do with animal intelligence? Find out the answers, and consider domestication in terms of plants and humans as well.

Check out this photo gallery of some of the most brilliant designs nature has to offer.

If you’ve read “The Mixer,” you know that some guard dogs are better at their jobs than others. Find out what makes a best friend a good protector.

Birds use many tricks to get food. Is it a mark of intelligence? Read the article about this tricky African bird and decide.

Read this interview with a cat expert to find out why our furry friends act the way they do toward us.

It’s one thing to talk about which animals are smarter than others, but it’s quite another task to design a test that proves it.

What is it about dogs that makes us love them and treat them like family?

Psychology researchers are beginning to change one of their most basic assumptions about their test subjects.