A sea otter takes a shelled animal and strikes it against a rock sitting on its chest to break open the prey, a behavior seen in relatively few animals. Most sea otters that use tools are female, allowing them to access larger prey like crabs and clams and reduce dental injuries.
Researcher Chris Law led a study on sea otters in Monterey Bay, finding that tools help otters overcome smaller body size and weaker biting ability. The population has slowly increased to roughly 3,000 in California today.
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