Tool use in non human animals

[gwand28 144]

The more scientists look the more tool use they discover in a variety of animals.

https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dolphins-tools-fish-mothers.html

 

[Boundava5]

Not sure why we feel like we have the monopoly on tool use, intelligence, compassion and empathy and culture. Many "animals" have those attributes-we are the only "animals" stuck up enough to think we alone have the power.

 

[gwand28 144]

This observation makes the nay sayers for animal intelligence eat crow.

Researchers in Japan documented carrion crows placing walnuts in front of cars stopped at traffic lights, then letting the vehicles crack the shells before retrieving the food — behaviour recorded repeatedly over 21 months.​

 

[GaryE28 143]

I recently heard someone talking about anthropomorphism, the tendency to wish human attributes onto animals. First off, we are animals. Secondly, what makes us special and exceptional? If we've evolved our intelligence, then intelligence is all around us in other animals. It's a useful attribute, like breathing, skin or teeth.

If we start thinking our dogs are human babies, okay, we didn't understand the memo. But tool use seems to have been there hiding in plain sight. It's just the courage to look at it squarely wasn't.

The thought revolution from the idea the sun doesn't rotate around the Earth still hasn't completely sunk in for us. Now excuse me while I go talk to my dog about the nightmare she had last night.

 

[Jennet8 66]

It's long been known in the UK that the Song Thrush drops snails onto stones to crack them open so they can then eat the meat inside. And yeah yeah, I also talk to my dogs. I think this is normal human behaviour, however I know I will be absolutely gobsmacked when one answers me back with anything other than a bark or a growl.