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In Canada, a wolf managed to climb a crab trap in search of food. Scientists say they are amazed by this small feat, which would be evidence of the use of tools by these animals.
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A she-wolf, pulling a float on the river bank: the image, seemingly harmless, impressed scientists all over the world. For the first time, a video proves that these wild animals are able to use tools to find food.
The story begins in 2023, in British Columbia, a province in Canada. Researchers set baited traps in Bella Bella to drive away the invasive crabs. They did not understand how and by whom the trap was tampered with. The culprit was finally filmed the following year. After taking the float, a she-wolf pulled the thread. The goal: to retrieve a basket of fish from the water that is intended as crab bait. He then takes the trap with his mouth, and uses several steps of reasoning to achieve his goal.
“It is an adaptive intelligence, so it adapts to its environment, to what allows it to live. He is also an observer. But if it is true, we can only continue to admire, and question even more.”explained Thierry Ruf, wolf specialist at the Wild Animal Protection Association.
Therefore, many questions still arise: how do wild animals achieve this feat? Several hypotheses are considered: either it imitated the human after observing it, or, attracted by the smell, it redoubled its efforts before arriving there. But the story doesn’t end there. Several months later, another animal, apparently from the same group, was also recorded climbing the trap in search of food, just like the first wolf. Proof that these animals are able to transmit their knowledge to each other. The beginning of a massive scientific investigation, to uncover the secrets of this mythical animal.
