Overview
- Motion-triggered cameras near Bella Bella recorded a wolf swimming to a buoy, dragging the line ashore, pulling up a submerged crab trap, and eating the bait.
- The peer-reviewed report, published November 17 in Ecology and Evolution, presents the behavior as possible first tool use by a wild canid.
- Some researchers argue the sequence shows sophisticated problem-solving, while others say it is object use rather than true tool use under strict definitions.
- A second clip from February 15, 2025 shows another wolf pulling on a partially submerged trap line, suggesting the behavior may be spreading within the local pack.
- The Heiltsuk/Haíɫzaqv Guardians captured the footage while trapping invasive European green crab, and teams have added 24/7 cameras and modified procedures to limit trap damage.