Scientists in Australia have captured the first published footage of dolphins on the country’s east coast using large empty seashells to trap and catch fish, a discovery that suggests this rare tool-using behavior may have emerged independently in two dolphin populations separated by thousands of kilometers.

Researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast recorded two separate sightings of the behavior, known as “shelling,” among Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in the Great Sandy Marine Park off Hervey Bay, Queensland, between July and October 2025. The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Marine Mammal Science, mark the first scientifically documented instances of the behavior anywhere on Australia’s east coast. Until now, the only published evidence of shelling had come from a distinct dolphin population in Shark Bay, Western Australia, located more than 3,000 kilometers away, according to some measurements, or as much as 6,000 kilometers by other calculations of the distance between the two locations.

Shelling involves a dolphin chasing a fish into a large, empty gastropod shell — often a bailer shell, which can grow to roughly the size of a football — before lifting the shell to the water’s surface and tipping it to drain the trapped fish into its mouth. Researchers describe the behavior as a genuine form of tool use, a trait considered rare among animals and one that has drawn significant scientific interest for what it may reveal about cognition and cultural transmission in non-human species.

Dr. Alexis Levengood, an animal behaviorist at the University of the Sunshine Coast and the study’s lead author, described the moment her research team first spotted the behavior in the wild. “We were on a research boat off Hervey Bay when we spotted a dolphin raising something large out of the water. I started screaming because I know what shelling looks like,” Levengood said.

Levengood further detailed the mechanics of the observed hunting technique. “It’s a hunting behavior where dolphins chase fish into large empty shells, bring the shell to the surface and then shake it to drain the fish into their mouths,” she said. “We were able to record footage and take photographs of dolphins shelling in the Great Sandy Marine Park, which is the first published record of it on the east coast of Australia.”

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the discovery involved a second observation in which researchers captured what may be the first documented evidence of a young dolphin learning the shelling technique directly from its mother, a process known as maternal social transmission. According to the researchers, they observed an adult female dolphin surface with a shell, after which the trapped fish escaped and the dolphin dropped the shell to continue the chase. Minutes later, the dolphin’s calf picked up the same discarded shell and held it in a manner similar to how its mother had handled it moments earlier.

Levengood explained the significance of that observation for scientific understanding of how dolphins acquire complex hunting behaviors. “Our footage provides the first potential evidence of maternal social transmission – a process by which offspring learn behaviour by observing the actions of its mother,” she said. “It challenges the belief that dolphins learn this tool use from their peers.” Previously, scientists had generally believed dolphins acquired shelling primarily through observing other dolphins within their broader social network, rather than through direct learning from a parent.

The research team also uncovered evidence that the behavior had likely been occurring in the Hervey Bay dolphin population for far longer than previously recognized, despite going scientifically undocumented. According to the researchers, conversations with local whale-watching tour operators revealed that shelling had actually been observed and photographed in the Great Sandy Marine Park as far back as 2013, with additional sightings recorded in 2019. Those earlier, informal observations had gone unreported in scientific literature due to limited dedicated research activity in the region, the team said.

The wide geographic separation between the two documented dolphin populations — one in Shark Bay on Australia’s west coast and the other in Hervey Bay on the east coast — has led researchers to a striking interpretation: that both populations may have arrived at the same specialized hunting technique independently, rather than the behavior having spread through direct contact between the two groups, which are not known to interact given the vast distance and different oceanic regions separating them. Researchers cautioned, however, that while the documented behavior in both locations matches closely, their observations did not include a test capable of definitively reconstructing the exact original moment either population first developed the technique.

Levengood noted that shelling requires considerably more cognitive and physical sophistication than simply manipulating an object. A dolphin attempting the behavior must locate a suitable empty shell, understand that fish often seek shelter inside such shells, successfully position and maintain the shell’s opening during its ascent to the surface, and then drain the shell’s contents without allowing the trapped fish to escape, a sequence of coordinated steps that researchers say justifies classifying the shell as a genuine tool rather than an incidental object.

The discovery adds to a broader and growing body of research documenting tool use across the animal kingdom, a phenomenon once believed to be unique to humans. Some of the earliest documented evidence of tool use among non-human animals dates back to the 1960s, when primatologist Jane Goodall famously observed wild chimpanzees using sticks to extract termites from hollow logs, a finding that fundamentally challenged prevailing assumptions about the uniqueness of human tool use. Since then, researchers have documented numerous other examples across the animal kingdom, including primates using stones as hammers to crack open nuts and fruit, and separate populations of Shark Bay dolphins that have been observed covering their beaks with basket sponges torn from the seafloor, a technique that helps them forage for fish hidden in the sand while protecting their sensitive snouts from injury.

Reflecting on the broader implications of the new findings, Levengood emphasized how much remains unknown about the origins and spread of such behaviors among wild dolphin populations, while underscoring what the discovery reveals about dolphin intelligence more broadly. “There’s still a lot we don’t know and many questions we will hopefully ask and answer with time,” she said. “But better understanding of shelling, and other tool use in non-human animals, will continue to teach us more about ourselves and how and why we evolved the way we did. These findings highlight how smart, clever and innovative dolphins are.”

The research team plans to continue monitoring the Hervey Bay dolphin population through ongoing boat surveys, an effort researchers say could help clarify how widespread the shelling behavior actually is within the group and whether additional evidence of mother-to-calf learning can be documented in future sightings.

Some users reported difficulty accessing New York State’s official government website, ny.gov, though independent monitoring services largely showed the site functioning normally as of Monday, illustrating the kind of discrepancy that often accompanies isolated or intermittent online service disruptions.

Ny.gov serves as the central portal for New York State government, providing residents with access to a wide range of services, including applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, log-in access to NY.Gov ID accounts used across various state services, information on the Summer EBT food assistance program, and updates from statewide officials including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Attorney General Letitia James.

Independent status-checking services offered largely reassuring readings on the site’s operational status around the time reports emerged. IsItDownChecker, a third-party monitoring service, reported that ny.gov was “UP and responding normally” as of a check timestamped 11:02 a.m. GMT Monday, recording a response time of 179 milliseconds, an indicator generally consistent with normal server performance. The service noted that user reports of the site’s status were “at normal levels” at the time of the check, showing no clear evidence of a broader outage.

A separate check specifically targeting the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website, a frequently used subdomain of the broader state government system, similarly showed normal operation. According to data compiled by outage-tracking service IsDownUS, automated checks conducted early Monday morning recorded consistent 200 HTTP status codes, the standard signal indicating a webpage loaded successfully, with response times ranging between roughly 1.8 and 1.9 milliseconds across multiple checks conducted between Aug. 15 and Aug. 17.

Despite those largely normal readings from automated monitoring tools, isolated user reports of access problems are not uncommon for large, heavily trafficked government websites, and such reports do not always indicate a site-wide outage. According to guidance published by IsItDownChecker, real disruptions affecting a website like ny.gov do not always present identically to every user, and can include several distinct patterns: server-side errors such as “502 Bad Gateway” or “503 Service Unavailable” messages, domain name system resolution failures that prevent a browser from locating the site at all, security certificate errors that cause a browser to block access even when the underlying site is functioning, or problems affecting only specific subsystems, such as a login portal failing while the rest of the site continues to operate normally.

The monitoring service also noted that when its own automated checks, which run from a centralized data center, are able to successfully reach a site, that generally indicates the disruption — if a user is experiencing one — may be limited to a specific internet service provider, geographic region or individual device rather than affecting the site broadly. In such cases, the service suggests potential fixes including switching to a different network connection, such as toggling between cellular data and Wi-Fi, changing a device’s DNS resolver settings, or testing access through a virtual private network connected to a different geographic region. If a problem persists only for an individual user despite the site functioning normally elsewhere, the guidance suggests the issue is more likely tied to a corrupted local DNS cache, an interfering browser extension, an outdated cached security certificate, or restrictions imposed by a corporate or institutional firewall.

New York State government systems have experienced significant, confirmed disruptions in the past, though none of comparable scale has been reported in connection with Monday’s user complaints. In July 2024, a widespread global technology outage tied to a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected numerous systems both within New York State government and among private businesses across the state. Gov. Hochul addressed the incident directly at the time, seeking to reassure residents that the disruption did not stem from malicious activity. “The outage is having impacts here in New York for private sector businesses that rely on CrowdStrike, and for systems even within the New York State Government. I want to be very clear, at this time, we have no indication that this is a hack or a cyber security threat. It is more of a technical issue,” Hochul said at the time.

During that 2024 incident, state officials emphasized that emergency services, including 911 call centers, remained operational statewide despite the broader disruption, though several counties reported their internal computer systems had been affected. Hochul noted that backup systems allowed those affected jurisdictions to continue functioning despite the outage. “Our top priority is emergency services. We’re working with localities to ensure that 911 systems are operational. Multiple counties have notified our Office of Emergency Management that their internal computer systems have been impacted, and thankfully, all of them have backup systems for situations like this. New Yorkers in all 62 counties are able to call 911 at this time,” Hochul said.

Separately, the state’s DMV system has previously undergone planned service interruptions unrelated to any technical malfunction. In February, the department temporarily took all DMV applications offline for several days to implement a modernized technology system, according to a memo distributed to law enforcement agencies at the time. That planned outage, which ran from Friday afternoon through the following Wednesday, was designed to allow the department to test and launch new infrastructure rather than respond to an unplanned service failure.

As of this report, New York State officials had not issued any public statement acknowledging a confirmed, ongoing technical issue affecting ny.gov specifically in connection with Monday’s user reports, and the state’s official website continued to display standard service listings and public information, including recent press releases regarding electric vehicle charging infrastructure funding and upcoming state program deadlines, without any visible indication of a service disruption banner or maintenance notice.

Given the discrepancy between scattered individual user reports and the largely normal readings recorded by independent monitoring services, it remains possible that any issues experienced Monday were limited to specific users, regions or internet service providers rather than reflecting a broader outage affecting the site as a whole. Residents experiencing persistent difficulty accessing New York State’s official website or its associated services, such as the DMV portal or NY.Gov ID login system, were generally advised by monitoring services to attempt a full browser refresh, clear cached data and cookies, or try accessing the site from an alternative device or network before assuming a wider outage was underway.

The Thai government is intensifying efforts against illegal businesses and nominee shareholding through inspections in Bangkok, revealing licensing issues, potential unauthorized employment, and investigating corruption among officials.

Key Points

• The Thai government intensified efforts against illegal business networks and nominee shareholding in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang District, led by Deputy Minister of Interior Polapee Suwunchwee. Joint inspections revealed some hotels operating without licenses and potential violations related to foreign investment.
• Inspections also highlighted issues with fire safety, unauthorized foreign workers, and construction irregularities. An operator attempted to bribe officials to evade legal action, prompting further investigation and possible disciplinary measures for involved public officials.
• The government plans to expand inspections nationwide, focusing on public information, online reviews, and financial tracing. The commitment to legal action against corrupt practices aims to protect local entrepreneurs and restore public trust.

Thai Government Steps Up Action Against Illegal Businesses and Suspected Nominee Arrangements

The government has increased enforcement against illegal business networks and suspected nominee shareholding by conducting joint inspections of hotels and establishments in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang District.

Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana stated that Deputy Minister of Interior Polapee Suwunchwee led the Integrated Huai Khwang operation on August 9, 2026, in response to public complaints and information.

​The operation involved the Department of Provincial Administration, the Immigration Bureau, the Department of Business Development, the Department of Employment, and the Department of Special Investigation.

​Preliminary inspections revealed that some hotels and establishments may have operated without licenses. Authorities also identified construction or modification issues requiring legal review, as well as possible cases of Thai nationals holding shares for foreign investors. Investigations and evidence collection are ongoing.

​Officials also identified concerns with fire escapes, emergency exits, and fire-prevention systems. Labor inspections found foreign nationals potentially working without proper authorization or in roles reserved for Thai citizens.

​During the operation, a business operator allegedly attempted to offer benefits to officials in exchange for avoiding legal action and referenced local agency officials. The Interior Ministry has ordered further investigation, and disciplinary or criminal proceedings will follow if any public official is found to be involved.

​The Land Department will review property ownership, while investigators will trace financial activities, including QR codes potentially linked to illegal gambling sites, payments outside Thai bank accounts, and transactions on foreign platforms.

The Deputy Spokesperson stated that the government plans to expand inspections nationwide using public information, online platform reviews, and financial tracing. The government remains committed to taking decisive legal action against foreign capitalists, nominees, legal and accounting facilitators, and corrupt officials to protect Thai entrepreneurs and restore public trust.

Source : Thai Government Steps Up Action Against Illegal Businesses and Suspected Nominee Arrangements