Tool-wielding Macaques Are Wiping Out Shellfish Populations

A macaque using a stone tool to break open shellfish. (Credit: Luncz et. al/eLife) The advent of tools was a big deal for humanity. It made it far easier to manipulate our environment and mold the planet to serve our own interests—from the folsom point to the iPhone X. Some animals use tools too, like the macaques of Thailand, who have figured out that their favorite shellfish snacks are much easier to eat if they bash them open with rocks first. They've become proficient shellfish smashers, so much so that the macaques are actually threatening the existence of oysters and snails an a small island there. It's a tale of technology gone wrong — only this time, humans aren't the villains.