Scientists in Australia are trying to paint the sea floor red. They’re giving a helping hand to the red handfish—one of the most endangered fish on the planet.
The fish is only three or four inches long. It’s named for the fins on its sides, which are shaped like small hands. In fact, the fish uses those fins to walk along the ocean floor—it seldom swims. The hands can be pinkish brown, but they can also be bright red, along with the mouth and other body parts.
Sea otters, dolphins, crows, elephants, octopuses, crocodiles—these animals, like humans, use tools for a variety of activities, from eating and drinking, to grooming and play, to combat and communication. But far fewer animals are known to manufacture and modify the tools, rather than simply using what they come across in their environment. And now, humpback whales are part of this much smaller group of “tool wielders.”
