Animal Brainiacs: The World's Smartest Animals

9. Raccoons

Raccoons are determined and creative, especially at getting food. They don’t have opposable thumbs, but their delicate five-fingered hands are agile. In a University of Wyoming study, raccoons dropped rocks into a tube of water, raising the level to grab a floating marshmallow. Not all the study subjects were so patient. At least one of the little bandit-masked critters climbed on the device and rocked back and forth until it toppled, spilling the contents to release the marshmallow.