7. Elephants
Elephants also make the list of the most intelligent animals in the world. They are often known for their long-term memory, but they also have a complex social structure and are able to manipulate their surroundings to achieve their goal.
For example, Kandula, a male elephant being housed at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., showed experts the abilities of his species during a number of experiments. When taking a walk in his enclosure, Kandula decided that he wanted to reach the fruit the researchers had placed on a bamboo stalk (the position was strategically chosen so the fruit was out of reach of him).
To get to the treat, Kandula did something he had never done before: he moved a block under the tree and used it to reach his target. In other words, he manipulated his surroundings to achieve his goal, confirming elephants are some of the most intelligent animals on the planet.
