Killer Attack Dolphins, Fact or Fiction?

[Shibby]

So I'm watching Jimmy Kimmel and he is talking about these dolphins that have been trained by the Navy to attack terrorist divers. I guess there has benn news reports on it as well about how they were lost at see during Hurricane Katrina. I couldn't really find a reputable source online, but have any of you heard about this?

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/inter...577753,00.html

Armed and dangerous - Flipper the firing dolphin let loose by Katrina

by Mark Townsend Houston
Sunday September 25, 2005
The Observer


It may be the oddest tale to emerge from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Armed dolphins, trained by the US military to shoot terrorists and pinpoint spies underwater, may be missing in the Gulf of Mexico.
Experts who have studied the US navy's cetacean training exercises claim the 36 mammals could be carrying 'toxic dart' guns. Divers and surfers risk attack, they claim, from a species considered to be among the planet's smartest. The US navy admits it has been training dolphins for military purposes, but has refused to confirm that any are missing.

Dolphins have been trained in attack-and-kill missions since the Cold War. The US Atlantic bottlenose dolphins have apparently been taught to shoot terrorists attacking military vessels. Their coastal compound was breached during the storm, sweeping them out to sea. But those who have studied the controversial use of dolphins in the US defence programme claim it is vital they are caught quickly.

Leo Sheridan, 72, a respected accident investigator who has worked for government and industry, said he had received intelligence from sources close to the US government's marine fisheries service confirming dolphins had escaped.

'My concern is that they have learnt to shoot at divers in wetsuits who have simulated terrorists in exercises. If divers or windsurfers are mistaken for a spy or suicide bomber and if equipped with special harnesses carrying toxic darts, they could fire,' he said. 'The darts are designed to put the target to sleep so they can be interrogated later, but what happens if the victim is not found for hours?'

Usually dolphins were controlled via signals transmitted through a neck harness. 'The question is, were these dolphins made secure before Katrina struck?' said Sheridan.

The mystery surfaced when a separate group of dolphins was washed from a commercial oceanarium on the Mississippi coast during Katrina. Eight were found with the navy's help, but the dolphins were not returned until US navy scientists had examined them.

Sheridan is convinced the scientists were keen to ensure the dolphins were not the navy's, understood to be kept in training ponds in a sound in Louisiana, close to Lake Pontchartrain, whose waters devastated New Orleans.

The navy launched the classified Cetacean Intelligence Mission in San Diego in 1989, where dolphins, fitted with harnesses and small electrodes planted under their skin, were taught to patrol and protect Trident submarines in harbour and stationary warships at sea.

Criticism from animal rights groups ensured the use of dolphins became more secretive. But the project gained impetus after the Yemen terror attack on the USS Cole in 2000. Dolphins have also been used to detect mines near an Iraqi port.

[SloppyJo]

Originally Posted by Shibby

Dolphins have also been used to detect mines near an Iraqi port.

thats the only thing i've ever heard the navy of using dolphins for

[Curls4dGirls]

Damn ... I thought this thread was about the Miami Dolphins Defense

[BBAddict]

Originally Posted by Curls4dGirls

Damn ... I thought this thread was about the Miami Dolphins Defense

In that case, Fiction! :nerdnew:

[Timma]

Sharks with laser beams.

[Stonecold54]

they are probably smarter than most people I know and the govt if they can actually find a terrorist.

Fact... but not what he said... recently a study found out that certain male dolphins were roaming the shores pickin off younger dolphins, moving on then pickin off more, scientists came in and were like wtf, I will try to find the vid of it, but theres this shot where this male dolphin flings this younger dolphin in the air a few feet then another hits it in the side while its in air, happened repeatedly and to several dolphins... so anyways the scientists picked up the corpses and studied them blah blah blah, anyways they all had some sort of genetic disease that would be passed on to the children... saw this on the discovery channel few months back freaky cus there were tons of vids of people on boats watching this... I'll try to find the link

K

here's the link tell me if it works

http://dsc.discovery.com/tvlistings/...=0&channel=DSC

its under the search "dolphin murders"
not sure if its the right one, but sounded like the one i saw months ago
<-dork

K

[Primal Instinct]

Yes. The US Navy had been working with dolphins for several years now and have attempted to train them for use in diver protection, mine detection as well as "unfriendly" divers that may seek to damage US ships in port. It started with efforts to protect divers from sharks because dolphins will kill a shark in many environments such as near anchored boats, in a port or near a beach perimeter. The mine detection part worked but it is extremely difficult to use a dolphin to attack certain divers and still maintain a non-aggressive posture towards others. It is simply too confusing for the animals to discern good from bad by just a visual inspection. There are also other considerations with respect to housing dolphins and controlling the aggression "switch" that they tried to instill in these dolphins.

[Curls4dGirls]

Miami Dolphins Strong Safety Lance Shulters was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

[Curls4dGirls]

Dolphins are alone atop the AFC East. Thank you.

[BBAddict]

Hey C4G, what do you think about Ricky Williams coming back?!

[meat12]

Originally Posted by Timma

Sharks with laser beams.

Fricken laser beams

[Curls4dGirls]

Originally Posted by BBAddict

Hey C4G, what do you think about Ricky Williams coming back?!

Oh shit! Ricky looked very, very quick in the pre-season. The quickest I've ever seen him. He was playing at 215 - 220, which is about 15 - 20 lbs lighter than usual. With two starting caliber backs, the coach saban may chose to keep him lighter since he doesn't have to carry the entire load. Remember, his last two seasons under Wandick, ricky set the record for the most carries by a back in over a two season span.

I have no ill will for ricky ... never had. I wouldn't have played for Wanny either.