If you were going to make a birdhouse out of wood, would you use tools (something that helps do a task)? Probably. For example, you might use a saw to cut the wood into pieces, then a hammer to pound nails to hold the wood together. Humans use tools every day to make tasks easier. Do other animals use tools? Yes!
Scientists have observed several examples of animals using tools¾chimpanzees use grass blades to get termites out of a hole, and they use stones to break open nut shells and fruit.
Crows have also been observed using twigs to get insects out of holes, and sea otters use rocks to break open mussel (a type of mollusk that has a shell) shells. In 2023, a wolf was recorded on video using a rope to pull a crab trap to shore.
And, as scientists make more observations, other examples of animals using tools are being added to the list. Most recently: a cow! Scientists observed a Swiss brown cow named Veronika use a broom to scratch her skin. Veronika is a pet, and her owner first noticed that she used sticks to scratch herself.
Then, she was given a broom that had a handle on one end, and bristles (coarse hair or fiber) on the other. Scientists watched how she used the broom for two weeks, and they noticed some patterns.
Many times, Veronika picked up the handle of the broom in her mouth, then used the bristles at the other end to scratch the thick skin on her back and sides. Sometimes, she picked up the broom at the bristle end and used the handle to scratch the thinner skin on her belly. Either way, she used the broom to scratch parts of her body she could not reach easily with her nose, horns, or feet.
Scientists believe this meets the definition of tool use by an animal: purposely using an item to accomplish a specific task. Scientists will continue to ask questions about tool use and observe animal behavior to learn more.
What Do You Think? Why do you think it is important for scientists to define the term tool use?
Photo Credit: (t)Jose B. Ruiz/Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo, (b)javarman/Shutterstock
