Humans point and respond to pointing gestures from infancy. It's one of the earliest ways we learn to communicate. Many domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, goats, and horses are also able to interpret human gestures. But among wild animals, even some of our closest relatives—such as chimpanzees—struggle to respond to our gestures. (Related: "Can Dogs Feel Our Emotions? Yawn Study Suggests Yes.")

Now, a new study has shown that African elephants are able to correctly interpret human pointing gestures, even without being specifically trained to do so.

"Elephants appear to be unique in that they're so useful when trained, and yet have never been selectively bred in captivity," said study co-author Richard Byrne, a researcher at the University of