Why the US Navy Recruits Dolphins and Sea Lions

What is the Navy's secret weapon? Would you believe us if we said it was sea creatures? Do you remember the last time you saw working dogs at a concert or a festival? Maybe it was a German Shepherd or a Malinois sniffing the ground, bags, and happily wagging their tail. These animals have become extremely important in the detection of illegal paraphernalia, weapons, explosives, and more. Service animals, much like police and security dogs, have been trained to notice certain medical conditions like spikes in heart rate or drops in blood sugar levels. These animals play a crucial role in alerting their handlers to medical problems before something serious happens. Since 1959, the United States Navy has been utilizing the inhabitants that their very operation relies on. The ocean is a massive, ecologically rich environment and is home to some of the smartest animals on this planet. Located at the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific in San Diego, California, the Reconnaissance and Interdiction Division works to train bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions. These aren't like your normal working animals. One big difference is their job requires them to swim in the ocean. The Navy's Marine Mammal Program trains dolphins and sea lions to detect, locate, mark, and recover objects in harbors, coastal areas, and depths in the open sea. A Pacific Whitesided dolphin was the first aquatic species acquired and adopted into the program. This dolphin was used to study hydrodynamics as Navy specialists aimed to improve torpedo performance. A study was completed to determine whether or not dolphins had a sophisticated drag reduction system. Still, the technology at the time failed to properly demonstrate if dolphins had any unusual abilities in that respect. In the early 1960s, the program changed its mission. The animal's intelligence, aquatic capabilities, and trainability led to the funding of a new program at Point Mugu, California. A research facility was built on the sand split between Mugu Lagoon and the ocean. The new intention was to study a dolphin's capabilities, such as their natural sonar and deep diving physiology. Scientists wanted to learn about these animals and determine if dolphins and sea lions would be able to perform useful military tasks. One of the major accomplishments scientists discovered was that dolphins and sea lions could be reliably worked untethered in the open seas and still return to their handlers. In 1965, Tuffy, a dolphin, participated in the SeaLab2 project. Tuffy carried tools and messages between the surface and a habitat 200 feet below. Within their service to the Navy, Tuffy was trained to locate and guide lost divers to safety. In 1967, the NMMP became classified and evolved into a major black budget program for several decades. The Point Mugu facility was relocated to Point Loma in San Diego. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center in San Diego took control of the project thereon. The program was declassified in the early 1990s and since then, the Navy has repeatedly and openly shared the story of its marine companions. The program animals are trained at the San Diego Bay where the handlers can frequently be seen. Specialized small boats are used to transport the animals to and from their pens and training areas. Other locations have been used for specific research, such as the Torpedo Test Range in Seattle and Canada. There are five main teams, each of them having been trained for a specific type of mission. Each human-animal team is known by a mark number, MK for short. MK-4, MK-5, MK-6, MK-7, and MK-8. MK-4, 7, and 8 use dolphins. MK-5 uses sea lions and MK-6 uses a blend of both. The teams can be deployed within 72 hours notice by ship, aircraft, helicopter, and land vehicle to respond to regional conflicts or staging areas globally. Over short distances, the animals are trained to swim alongside a small boat or ride in the boat itself. Sea lions have specially designed kennels where they are kept cool, wet, and comfortable during transport. Dolphins are placed in fleece-lined stretchers that are suspended in fiberglass containers filled with the right amount of water to support their weight. Veterinarians oversee the comfort and care of all the animals and consistently monitor them. These animals receive VIP treatment too. Every day, the Navy's aquatic mates are fed 15 to 25 pounds of restaurant-grade fish, varying from herring, mackerel, and squid. Handlers inspect each fish individually before hand-feeding the animals. And they don't have to worry about getting lonely either. Navy dolphins and sea lions live in 30-foot by 30-foot enclosures with access to underwater gates. These animals are especially social and are allowed to travel as they please between enclosures to play and interact. Sea lions train anywhere from two years to five years before they are replaced within an MK team. Dolphins, on the other hand, train for a bit longer, ranging from five to seven years. Handlers and animals build strong relationships with each other, resulting in a deep trust like none other. Navy animals are taught through the use of positive reinforcement. Desired behaviors are rewarded with fish, petting, vocal praise, toys, and play time. Negative behaviors are simply ignored. Training with these animals, however, never stops. Practice is key to learning and retaining tasks so that they may be completed correctly and reliably. Training sessions begin the same way daily, with a health check. Preventative health care is arguably the cornerstone of the Marine Mammal Program. Handlers help the veterinarians monitor the animal's health by checking their bodies for any wounds, infections, or odd behaviors. A team of veterinarians provides around-the-clock care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Regular blood tests, ultrasound scans, and physical exams prevent or detect health issues. The veterinarians will also deploy with the animals along with a mobile clinic. Navy dolphins and sea lions have abilities that remain unparalleled. They excel at finding mines and intruders and aiding lost divers underwater. Between their remarkable vision, diving abilities, and acoustics, no human divers or underwater vehicles could outperform them. While the Navy draws closer every day to inventing sonar technology that could match the skills of these marine mammals, it remains unequal to their natural abilities. Perhaps someday it may be possible and technology will out-level these animals, but for now, modern-day technology hasn't a leg to stand on when it comes to the Navy Dolphins and Sea Lions. If you like this video, please be sure to subscribe and comment down below what you want to see next. Until next time!