UPSC Prelims 2023 Q19: Environment & Ecology – Biodiversity & Conservation
- (a) Fishing cat
- (b) Orangutan
- (c) Otter
- (d) Sloth bear
Answer: (b) Orangutan
Explanation
Tool Use in Animals — Stick for Insect Extraction
The answer is Orangutan (*Pongo pygmaeus* / *Pongo abelii*).
| Animal | Tool Use Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Orangutan | Prepares and uses sticks as tools to extract insects from tree holes; also uses leaves as gloves and umbrellas |
| Chimpanzee | Uses sticks to extract termites from mounds (well-known, but not listed here) |
| Fishing Cat | Catches fish — no documented tool use |
| Otter | Uses stones to crack molluscs, but not sticks for insect extraction |
| Sloth Bear | Specialized snout for insect extraction — no tool use |
Orangutans are among the most sophisticated tool-users in the animal kingdom — they innovate tools without direct observation from others, suggesting independent cognitive problem-solving.
Answer: (b) Orangutan.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Fishing cats are specialized fish hunters that use their semi-webbed feet and agile swimming — they show no documented tool use with sticks.
- (b) CORRECT. Orangutans craft and use sticks to scrape insects from tree holes, and demonstrate other tool-use behaviours. This is well-documented in wild orangutan populations.
- (c) Incorrect. Otters use rocks to crack open molluscs (a form of tool use) but do not use sticks to extract insects from wood.
- (d) Incorrect. Sloth bears have evolved long claws and a tube-like snout to extract insects — a morphological adaptation, not tool use.
Key point
Orangutan uses sticks as tools to extract insects from tree holes. Among the most sophisticated non-human tool users. Chimpanzees use sticks for termite extraction — but in this question, the answer is Orangutan.
Remember
Orangutans use sticks to scrape insects from holes in trees and logs — this is a documented form of tool manufacture and use. They are among the most cognitively advanced tool-users in the animal kingdom.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up chimpanzee and orangutan tool use — both use sticks, but orangutans specifically craft sticks for insect extraction from holes in logs.
- Thinking sloth bears use tools — sloth bears have morphological adaptations (claws, snout) but do not use manufactured tools.
- Confusing otter tool use — otters use rocks, not sticks, and for cracking molluscs, not extracting insects.
Exam tip
Orangutan = stick tool for insect extraction from wood. Otter = rock for cracking shells. Chimpanzee = stick for termite mound. All are tool users, but the specific behaviour (stick + tree/log hole + insects) = Orangutan.
Sources
- IUCN — Orangutan Ecology and Behaviour
- Primate Research Institute — Orangutan Tool Use Studies