Buzz
Andrew Handley previously delved into the topic of animal intelligence, a theme that can be discomforting for those who prefer to view humans as distinctly unique and separate. Yet, for those who hold such views, it's impossible to ignore the undeniable truth that animals possess intelligence—often surpassing the credit we've given them.
One of the most incredible demonstrations of animal cognition is their resourceful use of tools. Here are ten examples of animals that, finding nature hadn't equipped them as thoroughly as they might have wished, took matters into their own hands to bridge the gap.
10. Wrasses Make Use of Anvils
We've all experienced the frustration of wanting to open a can of food, only to realize the can opener is nowhere to be found. Even worse is discovering a bottle of wine with no corkscrew in sight. But these annoyances aren't exclusive to humans.
Wrasses, a type of fish, have found their own solutions to similar challenges. Typically, they feast on small invertebrates that offer little resistance, but occasionally, they encounter prey that requires more effort. Observations show them using rocks as anvils to crack open hard-shelled bivalves, which would otherwise be too difficult to eat.
9. Octopuses Create Portable Dwellings
Humans often view the animal kingdom through a vertebrate-centered lens. However, many incredibly intelligent creatures come from species that lack backbones. The remarkable minds of octopuses, in particular, are currently being studied in depth due to their exceptional problem-solving abilities.
Octopuses are so remarkably intelligent that, under UK law, they are granted honorary vertebrate status in terms of their legal protections. Using their flexible bodies, they can slip into narrow spaces to find food, but this soft form offers little defense against predators. The veined octopus has been observed tackling this issue by digging up coconut shells to use as shelters. These octopuses have even been seen carrying the empty shells with them as they 'walk' along the seafloor, staying safe from predators.
8. Crows Making Use of Cars
Crows and their relatives are well-known for their impressive intelligence, displaying a wide range of abilities that have made them the subject of ongoing study. But did you ever think crows would use cars?
Well, they haven’t exactly gotten behind the wheel, but there is substantial anecdotal evidence that crows carry hard nuts onto roads, wait for a car to drive over them and crack them open, then swoop down to collect the food. Though there's academic debate about whether this is a deliberate behavior, it certainly fits within the intelligence level these birds have demonstrated.
7. Assassin Beetles Create Their Own Armor
In the harsh, constant struggle for survival in nature, having a strong defense can mean the difference between catching prey and becoming prey. An assassin, by nature, needs an effective escape strategy—and the assassin bug is no exception.
This predatory insect hunts ants and other small creatures. After capturing its prey, it drains their insides and keeps the empty exoskeletons. The bug then attaches these remains to its back, using them as protective armor against any predators that may come its way.
As the pile of discarded bodies on its back grows, predators are more likely to focus on the armor rather than the assassin bug itself. When this happens, the armor detaches, allowing the bug to escape and survive for another day. Ablative armor is a relatively recent innovation for humans—but it seems insects may have been using this tactic first.
6. Elephants Recognize Themselves in Mirrors
What could be more basic than using a mirror? For us, nothing—but for animals and very young children, understanding that what they see in a mirror is a reflection of themselves, not another animal, is a challenge.
Cognitive scientists call this ability to recognize oneself in a mirror the 'Mirror Test.' To determine whether elephants have the necessary self-awareness, they were tested by having marks painted on their heads. Remarkably, when confronted with a mirror, the elephants immediately used their trunks to touch the marks on their own heads, rather than focusing on their reflections.
5. Sea Otters Utilize Stones
We've already seen how Wrasses carry their hard-shelled prey to rocks to break them open. Sea otters, however, have the added advantage of fully functional limbs, which allow them to carry the stones with them. They search the seabed for stones of specific sizes and shapes—perhaps even showing some degree of imagination—and carry them tucked under their armpits.
When otters encounter mollusks that are too tightly sealed to break into, they use their stones to hammer away until the shells crack open, allowing them to feast on the contents. They demonstrate an ability to adjust the force of their pounding depending on the shape of the stone they're using.
4. Orangutans Use Whistles
Some of the skills we've discussed so far may seem like innate abilities, but the most intriguing question remains: Can animals learn to use tools? As it turns out, the answer is yes.
Orangutans share many human-like qualities, and their ability to learn is one of the most striking. When threatened, an orangutan will produce a whistling sound to scare off the intruder—something all orangutans do. However, in certain populations, some orangutans have been seen using leaves to amplify their whistle. This must be a learned behavior, passed down through generations, as it's only seen in specific groups of orangutans, which makes it even more remarkable.
3. Phronima Create a Terrifying Papoose
Is there anything more heartwarming than a mother's love for her children? Well, how about watching a mother capture another creature, tear out its insides, and then use the hollowed-out remains to carry her young? That’s exactly what the female Phronima does.
The Phronima are tiny invertebrates that inhabit the ocean. When it's time for her to lay eggs, a Phronima captures a salp—a gelatinous, small creature—and kills it by consuming its insides. This leaves behind a hollow tube, which she then uses to carry her eggs and young until they are strong enough to survive independently.
2. Spiders Create Stone Intruder Alarms
Corolla spiders reside in tiny burrows in the desert. They venture out to capture prey that gets too close, but their hunting range is quite limited. To expand the area in which they can sense prey, these spiders gather seven or eight stones of similar size and shape, arranging them in a circle around the entrance to their burrow. When given a choice of stones, they typically select those made of quartz. The spiders can detect vibrations through these stones, enabling them to attack prey that is outside their normal range.
1. Naked Mole-Rats Use Mouthguards
The naked mole-rat might seem like an evolutionary oddity. In their colonies, only one female is allowed to breed, while the rest of the group focuses on digging to find food. This involves pressing their faces into the mud until they uncover something edible. In an effort to make this challenging task more bearable, they have developed a clever digging technique. The mole-rats take a piece of bark or a fragment of plant matter and hold it in their mouths. This prevents them from inhaling dust as they dig tunnels with their teeth.
