It is widely believed that great apes represent the highest level of intelligence among animals on the evolutionary scale. Yet, researchers frequently uncover remarkable cognitive abilities in species that are typically considered less advanced on this hypothetical tree of life.
There are many instances of land animals, especially birds, exhibiting cognitive abilities that are on par with or even surpass those of apes.1,2,3. What is even more striking is the discovery that fish, often regarded as primitive and considered the ancestors of all land-dwelling creatures, also possess significant intelligence.
Do fish possess intelligence comparable to that of apes? Quite possibly. Let us explore a few examples.
The Frillfin Goby
Frillfin gobies, small marine fish measuring approximately 10 cm, inhabit tidal zones along the Atlantic coast. When the tide retreats, they seek shelter in warm tidal pools—rocky basins temporarily isolated from the sea.
This behaviour, while offering safety, also exposes the gobies to predators, including octopuses. To evade these threats, the gobies demonstrate impressive cognitive skills by performing precise leaps into neighbouring tidal pools, a remarkable feat that highlights their advanced mental capabilities.
For the goby to make a successful leap, it must be able to pinpoint the exact location of its landing, and astonishingly, it is able to achieve this. Research has revealed that these fish memorise the layout of tidal zones as they swim over them during high tide.4 Their brains accurately record the configuration of rock depressions, which later become tidal pools. After observing the area just once during a high tide, the gobies are capable of planning escape routes up to 40 days in advance.
Fish and Their Use of Tools
In the 1960s, Jane Goodall famously documented chimpanzees using tools, such as twigs and grass stalks, to extract termites from their nests. This observation was initially hailed as proof of the idea that humans evolved from apes, with tool use considered a defining characteristic of human intelligence. However, further research has shown that a variety of animals—dolphins, elephants, and many bird species—also use tools. This raises the question: do fish possess similar capabilities?
Fish are equally capable of using tools. In 2009, biologist Giacomo Bernardi captured the first documented instance of a fish employing a tool on video.5 He observed a wrasse as it dug a clam from the sand, carried it for about 30 metres, and then used rapid head movements to smash the clam against a rock, breaking it open. Over a span of 20 minutes, the wrasse successfully cracked and consumed three clams.
Bernardi observed an intriguing detail: ‘The fish digs into the sand to retrieve the shell, then swims a considerable distance to find a suitable surface on which to break it. This demonstrates a remarkable degree of foresight, as the process involves multiple steps. For a fish, this is quite extraordinary.’5
The wrasse’s process not only employs the use of tools but also the execution of a series of deliberate, logical actions.
Conclusion
Nature consistently reveals that animals possess cognitive abilities that are uniquely adapted to their specific, innate skills. The advanced cognitive capacities of fish pose a challenge to the evolutionary model of life’s origins and progression. Instead, they highlight the remarkable creativity of the Creator.
By the way, we recommend reading the articles:
- The Existence of Plants Before the Sun: A Challenge to the Biblical Creation Account
- Saturn’s Rings as Evidence of a Young Solar System
- The Whale Pelvis: More Than Just a Vestige
- Intelligent Design or Just an Illusion of Design?
- How Long Did Crude Oil Actually Take to Form?
Footnotes
- Tomkins, J.P., 2009. Some Birds Were Created to Boogie. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org, 13 May. Available at: https://www.icr.org.
- Tomkins, J.P., 2016. Neuron-Packed Bird Brains Point to Creation. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org, 20 June. Available at: https://www.icr.org.
- Tomkins, J.P., 2016. Musical Bird Maestros Befuddle Evolution. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org, 20 October. Available at: https://www.icr.org.
- Aronson, L.R., 1971. Further studies on orientation and jumping behavior in the gobiid fish, Bathygobius soporator. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 188(1), pp.378–392.
- Stephens, T., 2011. Video shows tool use by a fish. University of Santa Cruz NewsCenter. Posted on ucsc.edu, 28 September. Available at: https://www.ucsc.edu.
Compiled from: J. P. Tomkins, ‘Are fish as smart as apes?’, Acts&Facts, Institute for Creation Research, December 2016, p. 15.
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