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Mary the elephant demonstrates her hose-showering abilities. Credit: Urban et al./Current Biology
Mary the Elephant’s Unique Shower Technique
A remarkable Asian elephant named Mary, residing at the Berlin Zoo, has astonished researchers by mastering the use of a hose for her morning showers, as detailed in a recent study published in Current Biology. Co-author Michael Brecht from Humboldt University of Berlin remarked, “Elephants exhibit incredible skills with hoses. Each individual displays unique tool-use behaviors; Mary truly excels at showering.”
The Evolution of Tool Use in Animals
Historically, tool use was considered a trait exclusive to humans; however, it has since been documented across various species including primates and other mammals. For instance, dolphins utilize sea sponges to shield their snouts while searching for food on ocean floors. Similarly, sea otters are known to crack open shellfish like abalone using stones.
Moreover, certain fish species have demonstrated tool usage for hunting and breaking open shells or even preparing nesting sites. The coconut octopus is particularly fascinating as it gathers coconut shells to create shelters by stacking and transporting them before reassembling them.
Birds and Their Tool Utilization Skills
In avian species, tool use has primarily been observed among corvids—such as crows and ravens—as well as woodpecker finches that employ twigs to extract larvae from trees. While parrots are renowned for their vocal capabilities rather than tool usage in nature, they occasionally manipulate objects when feeding on nuts.
This intriguing behavior across different animal groups highlights not only their intelligence but also their adaptability in utilizing available resources effectively.
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