Otters, Especially Females, Use Tools To Survive a Changing World

May 16, 2024 • by Esther Robards-Forbes

A new study has found that individual sea otters that use tools — most of whom are female — are able to eat larger prey and reduce tooth damage when their preferred prey becomes depleted.

A sea otter feeds on a marine animal. Image by Chris Law.

Image by Chris Law


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Three birds are shown. On the left is a blue jay, which is primarily blue with some patches of white on wing tips, around the face and on the chest. On the right is a green jay, which is primarily green with a lighter colored chest and a mix of blue and black patches on the face. In the center is a hybrid bird, which is primarily blue and resembles a blue jay, but with a larger area of black on the face, more akin to a green jay.

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