A recent study has documented—for the first time ever—a wild wolf using a human-made object to access food. The discovery opens new questions about animal intelligence and how the environment shapes behavior in wild species.
On the remote coast of British Columbia, where forests meet the ocean and humans are only an occasional presence, several crab traps began showing unexplained damage. The cages—placed to help control the spread of the invasive European green crab—were mysteriously being pulled onto shore. Even more puzzling, some appeared in areas that never emerge from the water, even at low tide.
Local guardians were baffled. Then, the trail cameras revealed something no one expected: a wild female wolf emerging from the water with the buoy of a crab trap in her mouth, pulling the rope step by step until the trap surfaced, tearing open the netting, and accessing the bait.
The study, published in Ecology and Evolution, describes what the authors consider “the first potential documented case of tool use in wild wolves.”
A Never-Before-Seen Behavior
What the cameras captured in Haíɫzaqv Territory was not a random encounter. The wolf did not simply stumble upon equipment and manipulate it by accident. Researchers observed a clear, organized, and effective sequence of actions—executed without hesitation. The study calls it “an incredibly sophisticated behavior.”
The footage from May 29, 2024, shows the wolf dragging the buoy from the water to the beach, repeatedly pulling the rope until the trap—initially invisible under the water—emerged. She then manipulated the cage until she reached the bait container, ate the contents, and walked away. The entire process lasted just three minutes.
Her speed and precision suggest this was not her first attempt. Researchers also found other damaged traps nearby, supporting the idea that this behavior may be repeated by multiple individuals—or that the same wolf had perfected the technique over time.
The Role of the Environment: Low Persecution, More Time to Explore
One of the most intriguing aspects of this discovery is the environmental context. Wolves in this region live under relatively calm conditions compared with other populations that face persecution from humans. Without constant threats, these wolves may have more time to explore and develop innovative behaviors.
This mirrors patterns seen in other canids: for example, urban coyotes show increased exploratory behavior compared with rural populations exposed to more human pressure. Reduced threats seem to encourage novelty and experimentation—and this behavior may be a result of that.
Researchers also suggest the wolf may have learned progressively: starting with traps exposed at low tide, then partially submerged traps, and eventually fully submerged ones invisible from shore.