Which one of the following makes a tool with a stick to scrape insects from a hole in a tree or a log of wood?
- (a) Fishing cat
- (b) Orangutan ✓ UPSC's answer
- (c) Otter
- (d) Sloth bear
Why the answer is (b)
• Tool use is a hallmark of the great apes; orangutans in Sumatra have been observed stripping sticks to probe tree holes and logs for insects and honey, and to extract seeds from Neesia fruit.
• Such behaviour is learned and passed on culturally within populations, an important finding in primate research — option (b).
• The fishing cat catches fish with its paws, the otter uses rocks to crack shellfish (a tool, but not a stick for insects), and the sloth bear sucks termites from mounds using its lips and long claws, without making tools.
• Chimpanzees 'fish' for termites with sticks too, but they are not among the options.
• Hence option (b).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Fishing cat
- The fishing cat hunts with its paws, not tools.
- (c) Otter
- Otters use rocks to break shells, not sticks to scrape insects.
- (d) Sloth bear
- The sloth bear uses its lips and claws, not a made tool.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.