Cute fact of the day : Sea otter keep their preferent rock tuck away in tiny pocket under their forearm . Yeah , that ’s right . Each one has their own exceptional John Rock , which they habituate for bash thing like clams and ocean shells .
Not so long ago , a studycame out suggesting ocean otters have been using instrument for thousands ( possibly millions ) of years . scientist think this is something they see to do innately , but they were n’t sure if it ’s a skill that could be picked up by other species of otter . To find out , research worker at the University of Exeter take for a Tupperware party .
The consequence , published inRoyal Society Open Science , point that some but not all otters are able-bodied to larn by watching and simulate each other ( societal scholarship ) .
investigator look at two different species of otter : the smooth - coated otter and the Asiatic small - clawed otter . Both species live on in family groups , but only the smooth - hirsute otter uses teamwork to bump food .
To see if either of these two coinage could learn how to use tools , the researchers gave them a serial of puzzler to puzzle out . These included Tupperware container of various shapes and size containing tasty dainty like frozen peewee , peanuts , and fish head teacher . It ingest one very ill-fated otter three hours to take the lid off a container . Most were capable to do it within 20 moment . But what was interesting was how the unlike mintage of otter approach the challenge .
The smooth - coated otters used teamwork and were more potential to copy the case-by-case otters they spend more time with . Researchers also mention that youthful otters completed the task six times faster than their parent .
" The order in which the young otters solved the mystifier followed the strength of their societal ties , " Dr Neeltje Boogert , of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter ’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall , said in astatement . " This indicate that the juveniles copied those sibling they spend most time with . "
The Asiatic short - taloned otters were much less cooperative . Researchers found absolutely no evidence to paint a picture they wreak collaboratively to come up solvent to problems .
" Asiatic short - clawed otters are not know to forage in groups , and their innate diet consists in the main of prey such as mollusk and crabs that do not demand group - run strategies , " explained Boogert .
" In the wild , smooth - coat otters show coordinated chemical group - hunting strategies such as V - shape swimming establishment to catch Pisces the Fishes – so it makes sense that they would be naturally slope to watch each other for foraging information . "
Several breed of otter are list as jeopardize . Others are classified as threatened or vulnerable . Researchers hope this research can be used to help intent - bred otters make it in the state of nature .
