The Navy announced Wednesday the trained animals
will be used to stop divers and swimmers from breaching the security of
the Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor starting in 2010, the Kitsap (Wash.) Sun
reported. Other naval bases currently use marine mammals to discover possible intruders, the Sun said.
The Navy said the bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions to be
used are capable of locating such intruders and represent the best way
to enhance base security under current security requirements.
The unique metabolism of the dolphins will also allow the animals to
withstand the frigid water and air temperatures in the Bangor area
during the winter, a Navy analysis indicated.
The Sun reported the dolphins and sea lions to be used at
Kitsap-Bangor will not be captured from the wild. Those animals chosen
will be trained at the Navy's Marine Mammal Program in San Diego(@UPI).