Abstract
THE use of natural objects as tools by free-living vertebrates has, so far as we know, been reported for four species only—the chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes; the gorilla, Gorilla gorilla; the Californian sea otter, Latax lutris; and the Galapagos woodpecker finch, Camarhynchus pallidus. Chimpanzees have been observed to use rocks to break open hard food1; to insert sticks into honey2, to use sticks and stems for feeding on termites and ants3, and to use leaves for sopping up water to drink3 and also for wiping their bodies3,4. A gorilla is reported to have pulled fruit towards it with a crooked stick5. The sea otter uses rocks for breaking open shell fish6, and the woodpecker finch probes insects from their holes with spines or short twigs7.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
Ecological notes on Seriema species in the Paraguayan Chaco, with observations on Chunga biology
Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia Open Access 01 June 2014
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Get just this article for as long as you need it
$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Beatty, H., J. Mammal., 32, 118 (1951).
Merfield, F. G., and Miller, H., Gorillas Were My Neighbours (London, 1956).
Goodall, J., Nature, 201, 1264 (1964).
Kortlandt, A., and Kooij, M., Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond., 10, 61 (1963).
Pitman, C. R. S., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 105, 477 (1935).
Fisher, E. M., J. Mammal., 21, 132 (1940).
Gifford, E. W., Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2, 189 (1919).
Mackworth-Praed, C. W., and Grant, C. H. B., Birds of Eastern and North Eastern Africa, 1, 136 (Longmans, Green and Co., London, New York, Toronto, 1952).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
VAN LAWICK-GOODALL, J., VAN LAWICK-GOODALL, H. Use of Tools by the Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus. Nature 212, 1468–1469 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/2121468a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2121468a0
This article is cited by
-
Vultures as an overlooked model in cognitive ecology
Animal Cognition (2022)
-
Seasonal grouping dynamics in a territorial vulture: ecological drivers and social consequences
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (2020)
-
Extractive foraging and tool-aided behaviors in the wild Nicobar long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosus)
Primates (2018)
-
Testing problem solving in turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) using the string-pulling test
Animal Cognition (2015)
-
Ecological notes on Seriema species in the Paraguayan Chaco, with observations on Chunga biology
Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia (2014)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
