Day of the Dolphin?

A recent article in the Times of India tells of how dolphins are being trained to plant limpet mines on enemy ships. Similar articles appeared today in the Economic Times of India and The South China Post, focused on the outcry from animal activists. While I could not find any links to these articles I have included relevant portions.

The articles claim this to be the first use of dolphins to plant mines, but the U.S. has employed them to clear mines before and one wonders what else...From South China Morning Post: "Delhi's War role for Dolphins attacked".

"All nations must reject such use of animals whether for warfare or for chemical and biological tests," said Poorva Joshipura of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals in Mumbai."

"Ms Joshipura said dolphins would become victims in a war they had not chosen under the plan, which she labelled both cruel and dangerous. Her group is among many animal rights' organisations that have appealed for the plan to be scrapped. Other activist groups working to preserve India's fast depleting marine life said countries such as Russia and the United States had abandoned military programmes that used dolphins as underwater saboteurs, as the mammals were unable to distinguish between friend and foe."

"India was possibly the only country pursuing this potentially dangerous programme, she said."

"Defence officials said trials using trained dolphins to deposit mines on ships over the past year off India's western coast had been "favourable" and would eventually minimise the risk for naval divers during war."