Utilizing Marine Biology to Save Lives

Overview What is the Marine Mammal Program? How they work Why they are important Myths and Mythbusting

What is the NMMP? Since the 1950’s Bottlenose Dolphins and California Sea Lions Integrated Navy, Army, and civilian staff Missions for the Navy: Underwater mine detection Port security Hostile diver surfacing Based in San Diego, deploy to all areas of the world Recent presence in Black Sea

How They Work Mine Detection: Dolphins and Sonar Dolphins mark mine/ordinance with beacon Navy diver disposes of explosive Port Security/Hostile Diver Surfacing Sea Lions agile in shallow and confined waters Identify diver Grab diver by leg Force diver to surface Transfer to security ch?v=Y8trJkNWl9w

Why They are Important Protection of military personnel and equipment Protection of civilian sailors Prevent environmental problems associated with shipwrecks and explosives Excellent specimens for research NMMP= largest contributor to literature on marine mammals 800 technical publications

Misconceptions and the Truth “Dolphins are used to attack people and ships” All animals in the NMMP are used for solely defensive roles “It’s the military, so the animals are obviously neglected” San Diego facility is an industry leader in marine mammal care Two separate Congressional investigations found “Navy’s care of marine mammals was exemplary.” Army veterinary staff Released daily, untethered, for swim in open ocean Animals trained to participate in own healthcare

Conclusions The US Navy’s Marine Mammal Program is a crucial tool for the safety and freedom of the seas Contrary to many claims, the program is ethical and does not mistreat or kill animals Much scrutiny of the program comes from misunderstanding and lack of research and investigation

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