How dolphins catch fish is getting a fascinating new answer, thanks to newly published footage. Researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast, led by marine mammal expert Alexis Levengood, captured the first-ever video of dolphins using seashells as tools to catch fish, a hunting technique called shelling. A dolphin chases a fish into a large empty shell, lifts the shell to the surface, then tips and shakes it so the trapped fish slides straight into its mouth. The team filmed two incidents off Hervey Bay, Queensland, marking the first published record of the behavior on Australia's east coast and the first time it's ever been caught on camera anywhere. (Source: Discover Wildlife / University of the Sunshine Coast)
The most striking detail: researchers watched an adult female dolphin shell a fish, then minutes later saw her calf pick up the dropped shell and hold it the exact same way. Scientists are calling this the first potential evidence that dolphins learn shelling from their mothers rather than from peers their own age, challenging previous assumptions about how tool use spreads in dolphin populations. The study is published in the journal Marine Mammal Science.
We're also covering a rare deep-sea encounter: MBARI's ROV Ventana spotted a seven-arm octopus, Haliphron atlanticus, nearly 700 meters deep in Monterey Bay, only the fourth time the species has been observed in almost four decades of exploration. (Source: MBARI) Plus, don't miss this episode's Spotlight segment featuring Dr. Diva Amon, a deep-sea biologist and one of the most prominent scientific voices on the risks of deep-sea mining. Join us live for the full breakdown and your questions in our Live Q&A.
Takeaways:
Dolphins have been filmed for the first time using shells as tools to trap and catch fish, a behavior called shelling
New footage suggests calves may learn this tool-use behavior by watching their mothers, not just their peers
MBARI captured a rare sighting of the elusive seven-arm octopus, observed only four times in nearly 40 years of deep-sea exploration
This episode's Spotlight, deep-sea biologist Dr. Diva Amon, connects directly to the mining stories running throughout the week
