Many animals appear "smart" by the way that they react. My dogs have learned very fast, to heel, to sit, and other things. I know Apes can learn a lot more, and so can large birds for that matter. My question though, and my opinion is that animals learn and react on instinct. I do not believe they "think" like people do. I'm not an "animal rights activist," far from it, but I do believe they should all be cared for. However, I'm a big advocate of hunting, fishing, and pest elimination. (ie woodchucks are a huge problem for farmers as they dig large yet hard to see holes that can literaly break the wheels and axles off wagons.)

Sorry to use a farm analogy, but thats where I grew up. Anyway, sporadic thought patterns are my downfall!