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.

Another important job for military marine mammals is to help find underwater mines. Mines are dangerous objects placed in the water. 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.

Dolphins

The United States and Soviet militaries have trained dolphins for some special jobs. These animals can help protect ships, find lost things, and attach devices to bigger objects.

The Soviet Navy had a place to study how to use marine mammals near Sevastopol. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the work went to the Ukrainian Navy, and later reports said it might have moved to Iran. In 2012, Ukraine might have started the program again, but after Crimea was taken in 2014, what happened to the dolphins was not clear.

The U.S. Navy trains dolphins and sea lions at its Marine Mammal Program in San Diego, California. These animals have helped in wars like the First and Second Gulf Wars and the Vietnam War. The dolphins help find underwater mines and spot swimmers in the water. The Navy says it did not train dolphins to hurt anyone.

Seals and sea lions

Seals and sea lions are trained by the US Navy and the Russian Navy. In Russia, these animals help divers by carrying tools. They can also find things like torpedoes and mines underwater. Seals are good to 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 that said "Equipment of St. Petersburg" and seemed comfortable around people. Researchers in Russia looked at whether belugas could help protect naval bases in cold areas. They found that dolphins and seals were better for these tasks than belugas.