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Published online 6 June 2005 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news050606-2
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Dolphin mothers pass tool use to daughters
Australian dolphins learn to hunt with sponges stuck to their noses.
Bottlenose dolphins are known to be smart, but a study of tool use has emphasized just how clever these mammals can be. Female dolphins in an Australian bay seem to be learning from their mothers how to stick marine sponges on their noses to help them hunt for fish, researchers say.
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