Camera footage from near Bella Bella, B.C., shows a female gray wolf diving for and hauling a floating crab trap ashore before opening it to eat the bait. Researchers Kyle Artelle and Paul Paquet say the multi-step sequence suggests a "causal understanding" of the gear, though experts debate whether this qualifies as deliberate tool use. The second recorded incident this year suggests the behaviour may spread through social learning, and the sightings raise conservation and cognition questions for coastal "sea wolves."
British Columbia "Sea Wolves" Filmed Using Crab Traps — Possible First Tool Use by Wild Wolves
Camera footage from near Bella Bella, B.C., shows a female gray wolf diving for and hauling a floating crab trap ashore before opening it to eat the bait. Researchers Kyle Artelle and Paul Paquet say the multi-step sequence suggests a "causal understanding" of the gear, though experts debate whether this qualifies as deliberate tool use. The second recorded incident this year suggests the behaviour may spread through social learning, and the sightings raise conservation and cognition questions for coastal "sea wolves."
07:39 AM, 11/21/2025Science
Remote cameras on the central coast of British Columbia captured a remarkable scene: a female gray wolf diving into the water, hauling a floating crab trap to shore and tearing it open to retrieve the bait inside. The traps had been set by members of the Heiltsuk Nation to catch invasive green crabs, and several were found shredded and empty before the cameras were deployed.
What the footage shows
Researchers who reviewed the video—led by Professors Kyle Artelle and Paul Paquet—noted that the animal performed a clear, multi-step sequence: locate the floating buoy, dive to the trap, pull it to shore and break it open. The team argues this pattern suggests at least a "causal understanding" of how the gear functions, meaning the wolves appear to know that the buoy and trap are linked to food that is out of sight.
Is this tool use?
Scientists are careful about the label "tool use." The wolves did not construct the traps, but they did exploit man-made equipment to access food. This distinction has prompted debate: some researchers emphasize the cognitive implications of the observed sequence, while others say strict definitions of tool use require animals to modify or assemble objects rather than simply manipulate them.
Social learning and repeat sightings
Because this is at least the second recorded incident this year of a wolf bringing a crab trap ashore, researchers suspect the behaviour is spreading within the pack through social learning rather than being an isolated act. Observers online mixed admiration with concern; one commenter, @momoore85, wrote that the wolves are "adaptable" and that such behaviour may reflect shrinking wild habitat and changing coastal ecosystems.
Who are "sea wolves"?
"Sea wolves" are coastal populations of gray wolves (Canis lupus) that exploit marine resources more than inland packs. They are not currently a distinct subspecies, but some researchers consider their specialized coastal foraging an early stage of ecological divergence.
Why it matters
Beyond questions of animal cognition, the footage highlights how wildlife can adapt to human-made opportunities—and how those interactions complicate conservation. Researchers emphasize the importance of observing these animals without disturbing them, protecting coastal habitat, and considering how human gear and changing shorelines alter predator behaviour.
The investigation is ongoing as teams analyse additional footage and monitor whether the behaviour continues or spreads among other packs.