Only, humans aren’t the only species that use tools, so tool use doesn’t make us special. Dolphins use sponges to root for food. Mongooses have discovered the concept of an anvil, which they use to crack hard beetle shells. Corvids are especially innovative; crows have been filmed dropping hard nuts at crosswalks so that cars can run over the nuts and crack the shells, swooping in to pick up the bounty only when it’s all clear.
The point about corvids is especially salient, since the crows are actually using our tools for their own purposes. And we can now add to the list of species that use our tools for their own benefits our closest extant relative: bonobos.
In the short clip below, Kanzi the bonobo gathers tinder, pulls out a match, and, well… roasts the creationist claim that humans are special, right along with a few marshmallows. Kanzi also stands out because he’s also learned how to communicate with his handlers using touch pads, and is said to have remarkably empathy for the humans closest to him. Just keep in mind: today they’re roasting marshmallows and playing with touch pads; tomorrow they’re staging a Planet of the Apes-like uprising.
Sadly, bonobos are listed as an endangered species, mostly due to commercial pouching and the destruction of their native habitat. You can learn more about bonobos, and make a contribution or sponsor a bonobo, at the Bonobo Conservation Initiative.
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