Elephants are very intelligent animals with cognitive abilities that in some ways rival humans, though their intelligence manifests differently. Elephants have the largest brain of any land animal, with about three times as many neurons as humans, but only about one-third the number of neurons in the cerebral cortex that is responsible for higher cognition in humans. Most of an elephant's neurons are in the cerebellum, related to motor control and the complex use of their trunk. Elephants demonstrate sophisticated behaviors including problem-solving, cooperation, self-awareness, memory, empathy, and even a type of arithmetic skill. They can distinguish human languages, genders, and ethnicities by voice, show signs of grief and altruism, and have a strong social structure. Their encephalization quotient (EQ), which measures brain size relative to body size, is much lower than humans', but their absolute neuron count and social complexity highlight a unique form of intelligence. In summary, elephants are extremely smart creatures with cognitive abilities that are sophisticated and distinct but not identical to human intelligence. They excel especially in social intelligence, memory, emotional complexity, and problem-solving involving their physical environment.
