Saturday, June 12, 2010
Bottlenose Dolphin (photo: NASA)
Dolphins have become a regular part of the U.S. Navy’s defense and counterterrorism efforts, both in the United States and abroad. The Navy has deployed 80 specially-trained dolphins (and sea lions) on missions in the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean Sea, and North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Currently, the dolphins are participating in exercises at Hampton Roads, Virginia, that are designed to prepare American and Canadian personnel to thwart terrorists from mining a harbor. The dolphins’ mission is to spot potential mines and alert navy divers so they can deactivate them. Hampton Roads is the world’s largest naval base.
The mammals also are in use at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Washington State guarding the Pacific fleet of Trident submarines from intruders attempting to swim into the bay at night.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Navy Anti-Terror Exercise Includes Mine-Hunting Dolphins (by Kate Wiltrout, The Virginian-Pilot)
Navy to Employ Dolphins and Sea Lions to Protect Submarine Base (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
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