Wild wolf caught on camera pulling up crab trap for food

On the coast of Canada’s British Columbia, a wild wolf was caught on camera as it pulled a crab trap from deep water. Scientists suggest this could be the first instance of tool-like behavior observed in wild canids, NBC News reported.

The Heiltsuk Nation set traps near Bella Bella to catch invasive green crabs, but later found several traps damaged. When researchers set up motion-triggered cameras, they recorded a female wolf grabbing a float, dragging it to shore, pulling the rope until the trap came up, and then eating the fish inside.

The study, published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, says the wolf seemed to understand the steps required to connect the buoy to the hidden bait. Some experts believe this demonstrates complex thinking and see it as a potential tool. Still, others argue it is ‘string pulling’ rather than actual tool use, since the wolf did not create or modify the rope-trap setup but only manipulated what was already present.

Even so, researchers view this occurrence as significant because it marks the first time a wild canid has been witnessed using a human-made apparatus to obtain food. They also note that wolves may acquire this behavior by observing others.