Are humans and Animals equal?

This question encompasses a large spectrum of factors-not all of which can be regarded here. In order to provide a sufficient answer I must break it down into its base, key constituents. In terms of physical prowess, clearly humans bear no significant advantages; our eyesight is mediocre, our sense of smell is comparably useless next that of other species. We cannot run particularly fast, cannot fly, and are not particularly strong. In fact when it boils down to our physical attributes, compared to most animals we seem quite pathetic, and therefore incline me to say that animals are in fact better than humans, as this video demonstrates

It is quite a daunting prospect to know that my dog can see, hear, and smell better than I can, and yet, I am its master. This seems due to the fact that the human species has one key attribute that seems to be unique to only our kind on this planet, and that is the extent of our intelligence.

Our cognitive capacity provides us with the ability to outsmart our stronger animal peers. It also provides a means for humans to work together, allowing for strength through numbers, and that is through our capacity for speech. We cannot deny that every species on this planet has some form of intercommunication, ranging from a complex array of hoots and howls to clicking and gestures. However, no species has yet to develop such abilities to the extent we have, that allow for such imaginative, abstract, philosophical aspects of mankind to be expressed.

Indeed, there may be those who would argue, “How do we know that other species are not as intelligent as us?” and “What is a true measure of intelligence?”. I do recognise that I view the matter from my own human ideal of what intelligence is, but while we have analysed, and witnessed some extraordinary feats of adaptability (in what could be argued as the 'illusion' of intelligence), when compared to the enormous adaptability and inventive of humans, it seems we are on a whole new threshold of comprehension. The depth at which we can interpret matters, solve problems, invent, adapt, learn and create; all being expressed through the medium of speech, inclines me to speculate that it is that which sets us apart, or above our fellow animals. What we can say for certain is that no other species has had such an extensive domination and restructuring of the planet than us, for good or bad.