According to PetaPixel, researchers found that wolves use basic tools.
Trail camera footage captures wolves pulling crab traps out of the water to eat the bait inside. Members of the Haltsook First Nation have been trying to capture invasive European green crabs near Bella Bella, B.C. Their traps are often found ripped open, so researchers set up cameras.
There is some debate as to whether this counts as actual tool use, since the wolves themselves do not set the traps. But it’s still a telling sign of intelligence in wild animals.
“Even though we don’t want to call it tool use, the trap was completely underwater and invisible, so it’s hard to argue that she didn’t understand the connection between all those steps,” report author Kyle Artelle told the New York Times. “This wasn’t just random tinkering.”
While interesting, this situation illustrates how humans can distort natural eating habits by introducing food incentives into areas. Habitat erosion reduces feeding opportunities for wildlife, forcing them to travel further afield to survive. This can lead to animals roaming in inhabited areas.
Wolves are an important part of Canada’s ecosystem. As apex predators, they help control prey species populations, ensuring that plant species are not overgrazed. Despite management efforts, wolf populations are declining in some areas of the Pacific Northwest.
That said, wolf interference in European green crab removal could further damage the local ecosystem. When invasive species take over, they monopolize vital resources such as food, water and space, causing local biodiversity to decline.
European green crabs pose a threat to salmon, clams and other crab species on which fisheries depend. Some jurisdictions have had to undertake coordinated removal efforts. These include moves to eat more invasive species.
In this case, trail cameras proved crucial for detecting new behaviors in elusive, remote wildlife such as wolves. With new information, conservation efforts can be adjusted appropriately. Still, researchers are puzzled as to why or how wolves figured out how to exploit crab traps for food.
“We ultimately don’t know, but [one of the] We think the most likely explanation is… wolves started doing this with traps that were exposed at low tide because it was really easy,” Attell told CBC News.
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