Dolphins in Australia use seashells to hunt fish

Researchers have documented bottlenose dolphins in Queensland, Australia, using seashells as tools to trap and eat fish. This rare hunting behavior, known as ‘shelling’, was captured on video for the first time in the region, specifically near the Great Sandy Marine Park.

According to a study published in Marine Mammal Science, the process involves dolphins chasing fish into empty shells and then lifting the shells to the water's surface to drain the water and access the prey. Observations recorded between July and October 2025 included an adult female named Stevie Nicks and another named Maserati.

Notably, a calf named Bentley was observed mimicking the actions of its mother, Maserati. This provides potential evidence of maternal social transmission, suggesting that tool-use techniques may be passed from mother to offspring rather than learned from peers. While similar behavior has been previously documented in Shark Bay on Australia's west coast, these findings expand the known geographic range and complexity of dolphin tool use.