Virginia MorellIn the crystal clear waters of Shark Bay in Western Australia, scientists have noticed bottlenose dolphins engaging in an unusual behavior: They guide fish into the empty shells of giant snails, bring the shells to the surface, and then shake them vigorously to dislodge the prey into their open mouths—like a person polishing off a bag of popcorn.
That extra effort, known as “shelling,” gets them a guaranteed meal.Because the dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) use the shells as a trap, this is the second known case of these marine mammals using tools.