Many gardeners use clam shells as decorations. But not many garden the clams themselves. Yet clam gardens can yield more clams than untended shorelines, provide more species diversity, and even protect the clams from the acidity in today’s oceans.
Clams were gardened as early as 4,000 years ago by the people of the Pacific Northwest, from Alaska to Washington. In some regions, the gardens lined the entire coastline.
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.”
