Many members of the animal kingdom, from birds to elephants, have been known to make and use tools. Now we can add another unexpected animal to the list – killer whales.
A team of whale experts has observed a group of endangered killer whales manufacturing and using a tool made out of kelp. Their findings, published in Current Biology, are the first ever documented use of tools by marine mammals.
“We found that southern resident killer whales regularly use lengths of bull kelp during social interactions, apparently as a tool to groom one another,” said Michael Weiss, from the Center for Whale Research, in a press release. “To find that the whales were not just using but also manufacturing tools, and that these objects were being used in a way never before reported in marine mammals, was incredibly exciting.”
Bull kelp is the material of choice for this population of ...
