Military marine mammal

A military marine mammal is a cetacean or pinniped that has been trained for special jobs in the military. These animals include bottlenose dolphins, seals, sea lions, and beluga whales. They are used because they are smart and can live in the water, which makes them helpful for certain tasks.

The United States and Soviet militaries have used oceanic dolphins for many years. These animals can help in many ways. For example, they can find lost swimmers in the water and bring them to safety. They can also guard ships by watching for enemy divers who might try to harm the ship.

Another important job for military marine mammals is to help find underwater mines. Mines are dangerous objects placed in the water that can explode. The animals can locate these mines so that human divers can safely remove them later. They can also help find lost equipment on the ocean floor, which is very useful for keeping track of important items.

Dolphins

The United States and Soviet militaries have trained dolphins for various military uses. These animals can defend ships against enemy divers, locate lost or damaged equipment, and attach homing devices to larger targets.

The Soviet Navy had a research facility for military uses of marine mammals near Sevastopol. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the program was passed to the Ukrainian Navy, and later reports suggested it moved to Iran. In 2012, Ukraine allegedly restarted the program, but after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the fate of the dolphins became unclear.

The U.S. Navy trains dolphins and sea lions under its Marine Mammal Program based in San Diego, California. These animals have been used in conflicts such as the First and Second Gulf Wars and date back to the Vietnam War. The dolphins help with tasks like finding underwater mines and detecting enemy swimmers. The Navy denies rumors that dolphins were trained to kill divers.

Seals and sea lions

Seals and sea lions are trained by the US Navy and the Russian Navy. In Russia, these animals, along with dolphins, have learned to carry tools for divers and to find torpedoes, mines, and other ammunition. Seals are especially good for use in cold polar areas because they learn quickly and understand commands well.

Belugas

In 2019, a beluga named Hvaldimir was found near Norway. This beluga had a harness marked "Equipment of St. Petersburg" and seemed comfortable around people. Researchers in Russia had studied whether belugas could help protect naval bases in cold areas. However, they found that dolphins and seals were better for military tasks in such conditions than belugas.