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>The dolphins are taught to avoid touching the mines, which might cause
>them to explode, said Capt. Mike Tillotson, a Navy bomb disposal expert.
>He said there was little risk to animals doing this kind of work.
Perhaps there isn't much risk (but "little risk" is not the same as "no risk") to dolphins who only 'sniff' out mines (actually they don't smell mines, they are taught to ID them visually)...
But what isn't mentioned in this report, but was shown on a local broadcast yesterday, is the fact that the Navy is also using trained sea lions in conjunction with the dolphins...and while the dolphins don't touch the mines, the sea lions are trained to attach a line to a mine so that the mine can then be towed out of harms way...
Since the sea lions DO touch the mines, one has to ask just how many of these animals die in the line of duty...
June
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