WA dolphins play with their food

Most mothers would scold their children for playing with their food, but dolphin matriarchs in Western Australia's South West seem to encourage it.

The community of bottle-nosed dolphins have developed an elaborate technique for preparing squid and cuttlefish for consumption and are passing it on to their calves, according to researchers from Murdoch University.

The dolphins were observed catching the cuttlefish or squid and bringing their meal to the surface, nipping off the head and tentacles before squeezing the ink out of them with their teeth.

Turning their attention to the main course, the dolphins place the cuttlefish's body over their snout and dive underwater, effectively separating the cuttlefish bone from the edible flesh.

"Dolphins often develop complex ways to find food that is unique to their habitat," Kate Sprogis from Murdoch University's Cetacean Research Unit said.

"However, consuming cuttlefish in the manner of the Bunbury dolphins has only been reported in two other places around the world."

Fellow researcher Holly Raudino said the culinary technique was mainly employed by adult females, which suggested the mothers were teaching their daughters.