Scientists once believed that only humans and our closest relatives, chimpanzees, were intelligent enough to use tools. However, as our understanding of the natural world becomes more detailed, perhaps we should be less arrogant about our supposedly superior intelligence. Increasingly, we are discovering that many species are indeed skilled with sticks, stones, and other tools. Below are some animals that can use tools but are less known to the public.
Puffin
Puffin.
Researchers first observed puffins using tools in 2018, when these seabirds were seen grabbing sticks to scratch themselves. A video taken in the North Atlantic showed a cute chick picking up a short stick and moving it towards its chest, mimicking a scratching motion. Scientists believe they are trying to relieve itching or remove ticks.
While other bird species, particularly crows and parrots, are famous for their clever tool use, this was not true for puffins. The research team wrote in their study: “The cognitive abilities of seabirds may have been significantly underestimated.”
Pigs
Pigs have learned to play video games to receive food.
Previously described merely as lazy animals that eat and sleep, pigs are starting to gain more respect. Recent discoveries show that these animals are sensitive, adorable, and above all, intelligent. Philippine wild pigs have used bark and sticks to build nests in a series of experiments conducted in the mid-2010s. Last year, researchers reported that pigs had taught themselves to play video games to receive food.
Octopuses
Octopuses can build small dens and use stones to create a type of shield to protect their entrance.
This bottom-dwelling mollusk with tentacles is one of the few known invertebrate species capable of using tools.
“In addition to solving tasks using tools to receive food rewards in the lab, wild octopuses have been shown to build small dens and use stones to create a type of shield to protect their entrance,” said Jon Ablett, senior curator of mollusks at the Natural History Museum in London, UK. “Some common blanket octopuses are even known to use their tentacles as weapons.”
Ants
Ants use sponges and paper to soak up liquid food to bring back to their nests.
Some ant species are known to use tools, often when they need to transport liquids. In a 2020 study, researchers observed fire ants moving grains of sand to suck sugar water from a container. In another experiment, funnel ants were seen using sponges and paper—materials they are not typically familiar with—to soak up liquid food and carry it back to their nests.
Sea Otters
An otter is cracking open a clam against a rock.
This marine mammal is known for using stones to break open the shells of marine invertebrates to access the meat inside. Specifically, sea otters can use abalone as a hammer, striking it against a rock at a rate of three hits per second to break the hard shell of their prey. Moreover, the way otters use different tools also depends on their ecological environment.
Crocodiles
A crocodile is holding a stick on its head to attract unsuspecting water birds.
Crocodiles have not traditionally been seen as reptiles that use tools. However, in 2013, researchers discovered that Indian gharials and American crocodiles use sticks as bait to catch prey. They will lie in wait near areas frequented by water birds, then balance branches or sticks on their snouts. The birds will come close to nibble on the branch for nesting material, and if unlucky, they will fall victim to one of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom. If you ever see a small stick resting on a log in the water… it’s best to just leave it there.
Gorillas
A gorilla uses a stick to test the depth of a swamp.
Although gorillas use tools less frequently than other animals like chimpanzees, they know to utilize nearby objects as much as possible when necessary and may even craft simple tools. In Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, gorillas have been observed using sticks to test the depth of a swamp. In another instance, an adult female gorilla crossed a deep water body by weaving small bushes together to form a bridge.
Thomas Breuer from the Wildlife Conservation Society, who leads the research team in Congo, said: “We have been observing gorillas here for 10 years, and in two cases, we have seen them use tools. The first involved a female crossing a pond, and she used a stick to test the water’s depth, employing it as a walking stick.” The second case involved a female gorilla using a log for support while foraging in a swamp. Afterward, she placed the log across the swamp and used it as a bridge. “The most surprising thing is that we see them using tools not to obtain food, but to help stabilize themselves.” Current scientific views suggest that the split between chimpanzees and humans occurred 6 million years ago.
Loggerhead Shrike
The loggerhead shrike has a habit of impaling prey on sharp thorns or barbed wire to store food.
The loggerhead shrike often flies low to the ground to hunt, then dives to attack its victim with a lethal strike. They also catch singing birds by searching through bushes, fences, and trees, relentlessly pursuing until they capture and kill their prey. They have a habit of impaling their prey on sharp thorns or barbed wire to store food and return to eat when prey is scarce. They also use thorns to hold their prey while tearing off limbs with their sharp, hooked beak. Hence, they are also nicknamed the “Butcher Bird.”
While loggerhead shrikes may look quite beautiful, they are, in fact, incredibly intelligent and somewhat “cruel.” They excel at using various tools and are ruthless when killing prey, often using sharp twigs and barbed wire to stab their victims. Their prey includes: insects, lizards, small rodents, and even other birds.
