Wolves Crack Crab Trap Mystery, Revealing Tool-Using Abilities

In May 2024, scientists in British Columbia captured footage that may represent the first documented instance of a wild wolf using a tool. The video shows a female wolf diving into the water, retrieving a fishing float, and then tugging on a rope attached to a submerged crab trap. After pulling the trap to shore, the wolf tore it open and consumed the bait inside.

This remarkable behavior has added wolves to the growing list of animals capable of manipulating tools to forage for food, a trait once believed to be unique to humans. The discovery also solved a mystery that had been puzzling the Heiltsuk Nation, an indigenous community in the region. The tribe had been struggling with invasive green crabs damaging their local marine ecosystems and food sources, but the traps they set kept getting damaged or emptied.

After setting up a trail camera, the researchers were able to capture the wolf in action, efficiently retrieving the bait in just three minutes. This suggests the animal had likely performed the task before. A second video recorded a few months later showed a different wolf pulling a partially submerged trap, further confirming the tribe's suspicions.

The researchers hope this discovery will prompt a shift in how people perceive wolves, much like Jane Goodall's findings about chimpanzee tool use changed public perceptions of our closest genetic relatives. By recognizing the intelligence and problem-solving abilities of wolves, the researchers believe more people may develop a greater sense of care and compassion for these remarkable animals.