Navy Considers Enlisting Dolphins to Protect Base

In a surprising new twist on the war on terror, the U.S. Navy is now considering enlisting dolphins and sea lions to patrol the waters of one of its most sensitive naval bases. According to a recent press release, Kitsap-Bangor Naval Base in Washington state is seeking to bolster security around its submarines, ships, and underwater laboratories in the Puget Sound. The animals would be shipped up from the Navy's Marine Mammal Program in San Diego, where the military has apparently been training them for years.

Dolphins are excellent at finding underwater swimmers because of their keen sonar ability. Once the dolphin spots a suspicious swimmer, they drop a beacon, which a human interception team then uses to locate the would-be attacker. Dolphins can also be used to detect underwater mines. In fact, during the 1996 Republican National Convention, dolphins patrolled the bay waters of San Diego.

The sea lions have a somewhat lesser, but still important role. They are able to carry special cuffs in their mouths, which they can then attach to rogue swimmers' legs. The cuffs are attached to long ropes, which then enable the authorities to reel the unfortunate individual in.

Of course, there are many questions regarding the soundness of this mission. One potential problem is that the dolphins can be easily distracted while in open water; even a fish or otter could lead them astray, not to mention an intentional diversion by terrorists. One also has to wonder how highly sophisticated Navy submarines do not have the sonar capability to detect rogue swimmers, but I digress.

In addition, the dolphins are used to a warmer climate, and some animal rights activists fear the colder waters of the Puget Sound may be harmful. The Navy claims this is not a problem, as some of the animals have been tested in sub-arctic locations such as Alaska and Scandinavia and suffered no adverse effects. Apparently, there will also be warm water holding tanks for the dolphins, and they patrol for no more than two hours at a time. However, some activists are also worried about the effects of keeping the creatures in small enclosures. Zoos and marine parks often do the same thing, however, so I do not see a problem with that.

Some people are just not comfortable with the idea of using dolphins as a terrorist defense system. As one concerned person put it, "They don't understand the consequences of what will happen if they don't carry out the mission."