Navy Wants a Few Good Dolphins

Imagine a meeting with Navy officials saying that dolphins and sea lions are our country's best means to protect nuclear subs, while animal rights activists argue the warm-blooded creatures would be too chilly.

That's apparently what took place last week at an "open house" in Keyport, Washington, where naval officials spoke with opponents of a plan to use the mammals to patrol the Naval Submarine Base Bangor on Hood Canal.

As the Associated Press reported on last week's debate between Navy officials and animal rights activists:

*The animals are trained to alert a handler when they detect anyone in the water. The handler, in a small boat, then places a strobe light on the nose of the animal, which speeds back and bumps the swimmer. The bump knocks light into the water, where it floats to mark the spot for security personnel to intercept the intruder. *

*Navy officials said the dolphins would work for a couple hours at a time before being returned to an enclosure with water conditions similar to those of San Diego. *

*“That'd be like you and me going into a blizzard for two hours and then put back into a San Diego environment,” said Susan Scheirman of Bainbridge Island. *

The Navy argues that developing technological solutions would take time, and that dolphins are really pretty good at their job. They may be right, but I still think the best statement from the proceedings came from one woman against the dolphin plan who asked: "We don't have anything as good as dolphins to protect us? That's hard to believe."