Dolphin Calf Copies Mom’s Shell-Hunting Trick Minutes After Watching Her

A dolphin mom scooped up a large sea snail shell from the ocean floor, lifted it above the water, and tilted it, apparently letting the water drain out so a hidden fish would slide toward her mouth. Minutes later, her calf grabbed that same shell and tried to do exactly the same thing. Researchers say it is the first observed sequence consistent with a mother-to-calf transfer of this shell-hunting skill, though they stress the observation is suggestive, not conclusive.

Bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, off the western coast of Australia, have long been known to use shells as hunting tools, lifting large dead sea snail shells out of the water and draining them to send hidden fish sliding into their mouths. That behavior had never been formally published outside Shark Bay, though anecdotal reports existed in southeast Queensland, until now. A research team working in Hervey Bay, on Australia’s east coast, has published the first formal records of the behavior occurring elsewhere, and one observation came with a remarkable twist: a young calf copying its mother in real time.

Published in the journal Marine Mammal Science, the study describes two separate sightings in 2025 within the Great Sandy Marine Park in Queensland, and raises the possibility that calves may learn this shell-hunting trick by watching their mothers perform it.

Adult Female Dolphin Photographed Using Shell to Hunt Fish

Researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast have conducted regular boat surveys in the Great Sandy Marine Park since 2022. On July 6, 2025, the team spotted a lone adult female, catalogued in the study as Stevie Nicks, maneuvering a large bailer shell, a heavy sea snail shell, at the water’s surface. The technique involves lifting the shell above water so any fish hiding inside slides out toward the dolphin’s mouth.

Stevie Nicks surfaced several times, tilting and repositioning the shell in different directions. Rainy conditions cut the observation short, and researchers could not confirm whether she caught any fish, though her behavior left little doubt about what she was attempting.

Calf Mimics Mother’s Shell-Hunting Motions Minutes Later

October 1, 2025, brought the observation that grabbed scientists’ attention. That morning, the team spotted an adult female, identified as Maserati, foraging with her calf, Bentley. No shell was visible at first, but by mid-morning Maserati surfaced holding a bailer shell. A drone overhead captured her surfacing repeatedly before a fish escaped from the opening. Maserati dropped the shell and gave chase to the escaping fish, though it is unclear whether she caught it.

What happened next made the sighting stand out. About three minutes after Maserati dropped the shell, Bentley surfaced in the same spot holding that same shell the same way, snout tucked into the opening, just as the mother had done. Drone footage showed what appeared to be a suspected lizardfish’s body and tail poking out of the shell while Bentley held it up. After a few surfacings, the calf dropped the shell, grabbed it again about 30 seconds later, then dropped it once more and swam away. Whether Bentley ate anything could not be confirmed, and the calf’s sex was not determined. Mother and calf stayed within about 10 meters of each other throughout, and no other dolphins were nearby.

Shelling Photos Date Back More Than a Decade in Hervey Bay

Later, the research team connected with Blue Dolphin Marine Tours, an ecotour company working out of Hervey Bay. Staff there said two more shelling events had been photographed aboard their vessel, on June 12, 2013, and April 1, 2019, in roughly the same area as the 2025 sightings. Those older records lacked precise GPS data, but their existence suggests the behavior has occurred locally for over 12 years without reaching scientific literature.

Researchers stress that the two 2025 research observations make for a very small sample, and they are not claiming the sightings prove mothers teach calves this skill. But a calf watching its mother, then picking up the same tool within minutes and attempting to replicate her motions, matches what scientists call vertical social learning: skills passed from parent to offspring rather than picked up from peers or invented independently.

Prior modeling from Shark Bay found shelling spreads through social networks, estimating social transmission was roughly 10 to more than 300 times more likely than independent invention or genetics alone. Queensland’s sighting adds a real-world example that fits that picture.

Only Female Dolphins Were Seen Shelling So Far

Both 2025 sightings involved adult females. Researchers note this possible female bias aligns with patterns seen in other specialized dolphin foraging behaviors, where females invest more heavily in time-intensive hunting because of the energy demands of raising calves.

Whether shelling in Hervey Bay is widespread or confined to a handful of individuals remains unknown. Researchers say it is likely underreported, partly because bouts often last just seconds and partly because the region has drawn limited scientific attention until recently. Four recorded instances in the same stretch of water suggest shelling may be a genuine local habit, not just a fluke.

A calf trying to copy its mother’s hunting technique within minutes of watching her may not sound earth-shattering. But in the study of animal intelligence, moments like that, brief and imperfectly executed as they are, may be part of how animal culture gets built.

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