A Room for Animal Intelligence

We, the animals of the world, invite you to meet with us at SAM. One hundred representatives are waiting to talk about what we see happening on our planet. A few of us share your couch, while others of us are your lunch. Some of us fly overhead and watch what you do. Others hide when they see you coming as you can be insensitive and occasionally ruthless. You might call us exotic and cute or condemn us as pests and predators, but we all have our roles to play.

Some of you recognize our intelligence. Your attention and words fill us with hope. Please consider our points of view and listen to our voices. We sing, chitter, buzz, and howl for various reasons. Take a break from reading about another AI, and come to the museum to meet the largest wolf, mouse, and mosquito you’ve ever seen. Let us remind you that we are also wonders of the world—you humans are not alone. And we abide by this suggestion: “No animal should ever jump up on the dining room furniture unless absolutely certain that he can hold his own in the conversation” (Fran Leibowitz, “Pointers for Pets,” Social Studies, 1981).