Which ocean mammal uses a sponge as a foraging tool?

The ocean mammal that uses a sponge as a foraging tool is the bottlenose dolphin. In Shark Bay, Western Australia, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins carry cone-shaped marine sponges over their rostrums while searching the seafloor for prey.

This behavior, called “sponging,” probably protects the dolphin’s sensitive snout as it probes rough sand and sediment. The dolphins often pursue fish without swim bladders, which tend to hide in the bottom substrate where echolocation and vision are less effective.

Sponging is especially notable because it appears to be socially learned. Most known spongers are females, and genetic research suggests many descend from a single maternal line. Young dolphins typically begin the behavior during their second year, learning it from their mothers.

A common mix-up is confusing this behavior with ordinary object carrying. The sponge is used specifically during foraging, and this specialized tradition has only been documented in Shark Bay.