Researchers in British Columbia catch sea wolves in the act after placing camera to solve mystery of damaged traps
The clues read like something from mystery novel: crab traps, suspiciously hauled ashore by unseen hands, had been damaged by baffling teeth marks. The bait inside was missing.
The question for researchers in the remote corner of British Columbia was: whodunnit? As with many crimes of opportunity in the modern era, the culprit was unmasked by a remote camera.
Researchers have revealed that wily sea wolves had retrieved the traps, swimming to the depths to haul in the float, dragging the ropes ashore in a series of quick and deliberate tugs that underscored what ecologist Kyle Artelle described as “highly efficient and focused behaviour”.
The startling discovery – and potential use of tools – broadens our understanding of wolf intelligence and gives a glimpse at the delightful surprises that emerge when predators coexist with humans.
