When Animals Use Tools: Problem-Solving Minds of the Wild

Chimpanzees Using Sticks to Fish for Termites

Chimpanzees are often considered the smartest non-human animals, and one of their most famous abilities is using sticks to fish for termites. In the wild, they will find a suitable stick, strip off the leaves, and then insert it into termite mounds.

Once the termites latch on to the stick, the chimpanzee pulls it out and licks off the insects. This behavior is not random — it’s passed down from older chimps to younger ones, meaning it’s a form of cultural learning.

Chimpanzees also use leaves to soak up drinking water and rocks to crack open nuts. Their problem-solving skills show that tool use isn’t exclusive to humans, and intelligence in the wild comes in many forms.

Sea Otters Using Rocks to Break Shells

Sea otters are known for floating on their backs while eating — but it’s what they do with rocks that makes them extraordinary.

They often tuck a favorite rock under their arm and use it as a personal tool to crack open clams, sea urchins, and mussels. They smash the shellfish against the rock until it breaks open.

Some sea otters keep the same stone for years, and scientists have observed them using flat stones as anvils placed on their chests while they float. This consistent and deliberate use of tools shows a high level of cognitive planning and memory.

Crows Crafting Hooks

Crows are part of the corvid family — a group of birds known for their exceptional intelligence. New Caledonian crows have taken tool use to another level by crafting hooks from twigs or leaves.

They use these hooks to fish out insects or larvae from tight spots like tree bark or crevices. Some even bend wire into functional hooks when given the opportunity in lab experiments — a sign of abstract problem-solving.

What makes this even more remarkable is that crows don’t learn these skills by accident. Young crows watch adults and learn from example, proving that teaching and learning exist in the wild.

Elephants Using Branches as Fly Swatters

Elephants are known for their memory, emotion, and empathy, but they also use tools. In the wild, elephants have been seen breaking off tree branches and using them to swat flies off their bodies.

They also dig holes to access water and plug them with bark or leaves, returning later for a drink. These behaviors show foresight and adaptation to the environment.

What’s more, captive elephants have been observed moving stools or boxes to stand on them and reach food — a clear sign of strategic thinking beyond instinct alone.

Octopuses Using Coconut Shells as Armor

Octopuses are masters of escape and camouflage, but some species, like the veined octopus, take it a step further by carrying coconut shells for defense.

They’ll find two halves of a discarded coconut, carry them across the sea floor, and assemble them when needed to create a shelter or protective casing.

This behavior is one of the clearest examples of tool use in invertebrates. Unlike instinctive hiding, this act involves collecting, transporting, and assembling parts of an object — showing planning and foresight.

Dolphins Covering Snouts with Sponges

In Shark Bay, Australia, some bottlenose dolphins use sea sponges to protect their snouts while foraging on the sea floor. They place the sponge on their nose like a glove and use it to dig through sharp rocks and sand without injury.

This behavior is mostly seen in female dolphins and passed down from mother to daughter, proving a cultural tradition — one of the few known in marine mammals.

This adaptation helps them access food sources other dolphins can’t reach, showing innovation and the ability to solve problems using tools from their environment.

Wrasse Fish Using Rocks as Anvils

Tool use in fish was once considered impossible, but the orange-dotted tuskfish, a type of wrasse, proved otherwise.

This fish has been observed carrying clams in its mouth, then smashing them against rocks until the shell breaks. It does this repeatedly and deliberately, often choosing specific rocks as “anvils”.

This is one of the first confirmed examples of tool use in wild fish, and it challenges the idea that only mammals and birds are capable of intelligent problem-solving.

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Tool use in animals isn’t just about survival — it’s a window into their intelligence, culture, and creativity. From crafting hooks to saving favorite stones, these actions show that animals think ahead, learn from others, and solve problems in unique ways.

They remind us that intelligence comes in many forms — not just in labs, but in forests, oceans, and even in your backyard. Every twig, stone, and sponge used by an animal tells a story of evolution, adaptation, and connection.

If this article amazed you, share it with someone who still thinks humans are the only “smart” species. The wild has its own inventors — and they don’t need hands to prove it.