Overview
- Published November 17 in Ecology and Evolution, the paper by Kyle Artelle and Paul Paquet details remote-camera footage from Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk) territory on British Columbia’s central coast.
- Video from May 29, 2024 shows a female sea wolf bringing a buoy to shore, grasping the line, and pulling until a fully submerged crab trap surfaced, after which she accessed the bait.
- A second clip from February 15, 2025 recorded similar rope-pulling on a partially submerged trap, raising the possibility that the technique exists within the local pack.
- Experts disagree on whether this qualifies as tool use, with scholars such as Benjamin Beck saying string-pulling falls short of strict definitions even as it demonstrates notable cognitive complexity.
- Heiltsuk Guardians are dedicating 24/7 cameras and adjusting trap deployment to reduce damage while documenting behavior changes during ongoing efforts to control invasive European green crabs near Bella Bella.