These animals memorise people, places, and events, almost like human beings.
1. Dolphins
Dolphins are extremely intelligent and have great long-term memory. They have a strong social relationship with their family members. Even after being separated for more than two decades, they will recognise their family members. Dolphins keep these relationships alive by memorising their family members’ distinct clicking and whistling sounds. They also remember their pods and homes underwater.
2. Elephants
Elephants are known for their ability to remember events, places, and people for years with their massive brains and the largest cerebral cortex. They can easily identify family members and map locations, and they can even remember other elephants from their past, even after reuniting after a decade.
A group of 20 elephants saved by a man visited the man’s house after he died. They are also known to be extremely vengeful creatures; they remember wrongdoing and will avenge themselves.
3. Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees have excellent working memory, and studies reveal that they have stronger short-term memory than certain people. A 2007 study found that a baby chimpanzee could memorise numerical sequences in less than a second, beating human rivals. This is because they share DNA with humans and have a high level of intelligence, allowing them to adapt easily to their surroundings.
4. Blue whales
Whales have the best memory because they can recall a lifetime’s worth of migratory patterns. A 10-year study discovered that blue whales move by remembering where they got prey rather than using signs from the environment. With a lifespan of 70–80 years, they rely on their memory to hunt food.
5. Horses
Horses have exceptional short- and long-term memory, and they can accurately recall places, events, and people’s faces. They have a photographic memory, which allows them to recall commands and perform them for up to 8 years without training. Horses’ memory is thought to have originated from their ancestors, who had to travel large distances to acquire food and water.
