Brown bear observed using tools!

Mickeroo

Here's an interesting one. A brown bear was observed using a rock to scratch himself 3 times.

Deecke, who normally studies whales, was watching a couple of brown bears feed on a whale carcass on the shores of Glacier Bay, when one of them began searching the bottom of the sea for something. A moment later, the bear reached down and grabbed a rock, which Deecke could clearly see was covered with barnacles, and began rubbing it against its face and neck. Thus it appeared that not just any rock would do, it had to be covered with barnacles which would do a better job in scratching. It wasn’t just a fluke either. After a while, the bear dropped the rock, moseyed around, and after some time searched for and retrieved another rock. In all the bear repeated the whole exercise three times, retrieving three different rocks, all covered with barnacles, which he used for scratching at his itchy hide. Deecke also noted that the bear manipulated the rock in his paw before scratching, moving it into the optimal position for the best possible scratch, a type of activity previously only seen with humans and other primates.

As far as I know this is is the first time a bear has been observed to use a tool of any kind, not many mammals apart from ourselves and other primates exhibit this behaviour. I know dolphins do and even some birds too.

I for one welcome our new cuddly carnivorous overlords.

Full article here: http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-03-wild-brown-tool.html

Galvasean

first it's grooming tools, next thing you know...