Dolphins use tools to fish in a skill passed from mother to calf

Dolphins have demonstrated a remarkable level of intelligence and learned behavior by using tools to hunt, a practice previously thought to be rare and exclusive to specific regions. In a new study published in the journal Marine Mammal Science, researchers observed bottlenose dolphins in Queensland's Great Sandy Marine Park using empty shells to catch fish.

This sophisticated hunting technique, termed 'shelling,' involves dolphins trapping fish inside large, empty shells. They then lift the shell to the surface and drain it to consume their prey. The behavior was observed between July and October 2025, with researchers capturing footage of two adult female dolphins employing this method.

Previously, this specific tool-use behavior had only been documented in dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia. The recent observations in the Great Sandy Marine Park suggest that this intelligent hunting strategy may be more widespread than previously understood and is likely passed down from mother dolphins to their calves.

The discovery highlights the growing understanding of tool use in the animal kingdom, challenging the notion that such behaviors are exclusively human. Similar instances have been observed in chimpanzees using branches for termite fishing, primates using stones as hammers, and New Caledonian crows crafting tools from twigs and leaves. These findings underscore the complex cognitive abilities present in various species.