Fish-catching trick may be spreading among dolphins

[woo me with science]

http://news.yahoo.com/fish-catching-trick-may-spreading-among-dolphins-080748681.html

Fish-catching trick may be spreading among dolphins
Reuters
By Elaine Lies


PERTH, Australia (Reuters) - Dolphins in one western Australian population have been observed holding a large conch shell in their beaks and using it to shake a fish into their mouths -- and the behavior may be spreading
....
But researchers were more intrigued when they studied the photos and found the back of a fish hanging out of the shell, realizing that the shaking drained the water out of the shells and caused the fish that was sheltering inside to fall into the dolphins' mouths.
....
(Other foraging techniques have been found to) spread "vertically," mainly through the female dolphin population, from mother to daughter. The intriguing thing about this new behavior with the conch shells is that it might be spreading "horizontally," Allen said.

"If it spreads horizontally, then we would expect to see it more often and we'd expect to see it between 'friends'," he added, noting that dolphins are known for having preferences in terms of companions and whom they spend time with.
....
"If we could put some shells in a row or put them facing down or something like that and then come back the next day, if we don't actually see them do it but find evidence that they've turned the shell over or make it into an appealing refuge for a fish, then that implies significant forward planning on the dolphins' parts," Allen said.

"The nice idea is that there is this intriguing possibility that they might manipulate the object beforehand. Then that might change using the shell as just a convenient object into actual tool use," he added.

[TheManInTheMac]

1. Dolphin greed is going to destroy the planet.

[tallahasseedem]

3. LOL!

I needed that!

Damn dolphins...

[woo me with science]

6. One of the cable networks aired a show about "the dark side of dolphins" yesterday.

A whole hour devoted to the mayhem they cause. :wow:

[Auntie Bush]

9. What type of mayham did they cause? I never heard of any.

[woo me with science]

10. Here's the summary from the Nat. Geo. website:

Sounds like you wouldn't necessarily want to run into a pack of dolphins in a dark alley.

:wow:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/media/tv/press/990202.html

And here's more (tongue in cheek) from Slate:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2009/05/13/dolphins_are_violent_predators_that_kill_their_own_babies.html

[Auntie Bush]

11. Thanks for the web sites. I learned a lot. Some I wish I didn't know. lol

[FSogol]

2. How long until they invent water-cooled chain saws?

:scared:

[Uncle Joe]

4. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, woo me with science.

[LeftinOH]

5. Let's see them learn how to make fire. Hah!

[woo me with science]

7. LOL

[Pooka Fey]

12. Hee-hee.

:-)

[woo me with science]

8. Dolphin talking to cat.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x9768092

[Yavin4]

13. How Does That Help Them Win The AFC East? n/t

[Lochloosa]

14. Why would they want to.....

:shrug: :shrug: :shrug: :shrug: :shrug: :shrug: :shrug: :shrug:

[MadHound]

15. Nothing can help them win the AFC East,

They're pretty much screwed.