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Animal lists · 12 entries

Animals That Use Tools

Tool use — defined as manipulating an unattached object to achieve a goal — is documented in chimpanzees, New Caledonian crows, dolphins, octopuses and several other species, ranked here by complexity from simple object use to manufacture of specialised tools.

Updated 25 July 2026

Tool use requires manipulating an external object rather than using a body part alone. A heron dropping bait on the water surface qualifies; a cat washing its face does not. The behaviour is far more widespread than once assumed — documented in at least 40 animal genera — but the complexity varies enormously.

This list ranks species by documented tool use complexity, from simple object manipulation to tool manufacture and modification. Anecdotal reports without replication are excluded or flagged.

How this list was compiled

Entries are species with documented tool use in peer-reviewed field or laboratory studies. Tool use is defined as manipulating an unattached environmental object to achieve a goal. Body parts used as tools — such as an elephant's trunk — are excluded unless an external object is involved. Manufacture and modification of tools rank higher than incidental use. Single unreplicated observations are flagged.

Animals That Use Tools

  1. Chimpanzee

    Tool manufacture; termite fishing

    Strips twigs and modifies sticks for termite fishing. Different populations have distinct tool cultures.

  2. New Caledonian crow

    Hook manufacture from wire or pandanus

    The only non-human animal known to manufacture hooks without training. Shows causal reasoning in experiments.

  3. Capuchin monkey

    Stone hammer and anvil nut cracking

    Selects stones of appropriate weight and hardness. Tool use traditions vary between populations.

  4. Sea otter

    Rock anvil for shellfish

    Floats on back and smashes prey against a chest-held rock. Some individuals have preferred rocks they carry.

  5. Dolphin

    Marine sponge foraging

    Shark Bay bottlenose dolphins wear marine sponges on their rostrums to protect while probing seafloor.

  6. Octopus

    Coconut shell shelter

    Carries and assembles coconut shell halves as portable shelter — the first documented invertebrate tool use.

  7. Elephant

    Branch fly swatter; bark plug

    Uses branches to swat flies and plugs waterholes with bark balls — possibly to maintain water access.

  8. Orangutan

    Leaf gloves; branch tools

    Wraps leaves around hands for spiny fruit and uses branches to extract honey or insects.

  9. Egyptian vulture

    Stone throwing at eggs

    Drops stones onto ostrich eggs to break them. One of few birds with documented tool use in the wild.

  10. Woodpecker finch

    Cactus spine insect probe

    Galápagos finch uses cactus spines or twigs to extract insects from bark crevices.

  11. Bonobo

    Tool use in captivity; limited wild data

    Uses tools readily in captivity. Wild tool use is less documented than in chimpanzees.

  12. Archerfish

    Water jet as tool

    Shoots water jets to knock insects from vegetation. Debated whether fluid projection counts as tool use under strict definitions.

Key facts

  • Tool use is documented in at least 40 genera — far more widespread than once assumed.
  • New Caledonian crows manufacture hooks from wire or pandanus leaves without training — unique among non-human animals.
  • Chimpanzee tool traditions vary by population, indicating cultural transmission rather than instinct alone.
  • Sea otters use rock anvils to crack shellfish and some individuals carry preferred rocks between dives.
  • Octopuses assembling coconut shell shelter were the first documented invertebrate tool users.
  • Strict definitions of tool use exclude body parts alone — an elephant's trunk swatting flies with a held branch qualifies; trunk alone does not.

Animals That Use Tools: frequently asked questions

Which animals use tools?
Chimpanzees, New Caledonian crows, capuchin monkeys, sea otters, dolphins, octopuses, elephants and several bird species including woodpecker finches and Egyptian vultures.
Do crows use tools?
Yes. New Caledonian crows manufacture hook tools from pandanus leaves or wire to extract prey from crevices — the only non-human animal known to make hooks without training.
Do octopuses use tools?
Yes. Veined octopuses have been filmed carrying and assembling coconut shell halves as portable shelter — the first documented invertebrate tool use.
What counts as tool use?
Manipulating an unattached environmental object to achieve a goal. Using body parts alone — a trunk, a beak — does not qualify under strict definitions unless an external object is involved.
Do dolphins use tools?
Shark Bay bottlenose dolphins wear marine sponges on their rostrums while foraging on the seafloor — protecting their snouts while probing. This behaviour is passed from mothers to daughters.
Which animal makes the most complex tools?
New Caledonian crows and chimpanzees lead. Crows manufacture hooks; chimpanzees modify twigs for termite fishing with distinct traditions across populations.

Sources

How we check facts: our sourcing standards →

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