Dolphins in Australia have been observed using seashells to trap and eat fish, a rare behavior captured on video for the first time in Queensland. Researchers suggest the technique may be passed from mother to calf, challenging prior assumptions about dolphin learning.
Scientists have documented bottlenose dolphins in Queensland, Australia, using seashells as tools to catch fish—a behavior previously seen only in Shark Bay on the west coast. The study, published in Marine Mammal Science, reveals that dolphins like Stevie Nicks and Maserati lifted shells to the surface, trapping prey inside before retrieving it. A calf, Bentley, was seen mimicking its mother’s actions, offering the first potential evidence of maternal social transmission in dolphins.
A Rare Behavior Captured on Film
The footage, recorded between July and October 2025, shows adult dolphins using empty seashells as traps. On July 6, 2025, Stevie Nicks was observed raising a shell above the water, though no fish was confirmed to exit. Later, Maserati carried a shell to the surface, with a fish escaping before she dropped it. Bentley, her calf, then surfaced with the same shell, raising questions about how the behavior was learned.
Dr. Alexis Levengood, lead author of the study, described the moment she spotted a dolphin lifting a shell: We spotted a dolphin raising something large out of the water. I started screaming because I know what shelling looks like.
The behavior, known as “shelling,” involves using a shell to trap fish that hide inside, then draining the water to access the prey. Researchers note that the technique requires precise coordination, including locating suitable shells and maintaining the right orientation during ascent.
Maternal Learning Challenges Previous Assumptions
The observation of Bentley copying Maserati’s actions suggests that dolphins may learn tool use from their mothers rather than peers. Our footage provides the first potential evidence of maternal social transmission,
Levengood said, adding that this challenges the belief that dolphins learn such skills from other group members.
Previous studies in Shark Bay had documented shelling, but the Queensland sightings indicate the behavior is more widespread. Researchers speculate that dolphins in different regions may have independently developed the tactic, given the 4,000-kilometer distance between the two populations. So why do some dolphins shell? Is it to capitalise on an opportunity to help them hunt? Does it possibly help reduce competition for food among other dolphins by using a special skill set they learned? Is it just a cool dinner trick?
Levengood wrote.
Independent Innovation or Shared Knowledge?
The study highlights a key debate: did Queensland dolphins reinvent shelling on their own, or did they inherit the behavior from distant populations? While no direct social links exist between the two regions, the similarity in technique suggests shared ecological pressures. Both areas have abundant seashells and fish species that seek refuge inside them, creating parallel opportunities for tool use.
However, the researchers caution against assuming direct imitation. Independently learned
means the Queensland population could not reasonably have copied Shark Bay dolphins directly. It does not mean every dolphin within each population reinvented the tactic alone. The study’s authors emphasize that the behavior’s rarity and complexity make it unlikely to have emerged in multiple places without some form of social learning.
What This Means for Dolphin Intelligence
The findings add to growing evidence of dolphins’ cognitive flexibility. Tool use, once thought unique to humans, is now known in several species, including chimpanzees, crows, and elephants. For dolphins, shelling demonstrates an ability to manipulate objects for survival, a trait previously associated with primates and birds.
Experts like Alexis Levengood, lead author of the study, note that the behavior underscores the importance of maternal guidance in dolphin development. There’s still a lot we don’t know, and many questions we will hopefully ask and answer with time.
The study also raises questions about how widespread shelling is. Earlier sightings in Queensland, dating back to 2013 and 2019, suggest the behavior may have existed for years without formal documentation. Since shelling went undocumented for so many years, the researchers believe it is much more common among dolphins in Australia, as well as other parts of the world.
