How Russian Military Dolphins Safeguard Black Sea Naval Base at Sevastopol

The Russian military has allegedly deployed bottlenose dolphins to protect the Black Sea naval stronghold at Sevastopol. These specially trained marine creatures safeguard the vital military station from divers approaching since dolphins can detect divers and notify their handlers due to their speed and diving ability.

The number of enclosures holding the trained dolphins has lately increased, according to the UK Ministry of Defense, suggesting an increase in hiring these clever animals.

Dolphins can efficiently alert their handlers to the presence of underwater intruders. They may even help tag them for easy identification, even if they won't engage in direct battle with divers, per Science Alert. According to current estimates, up to seven dolphins may be working in the port area, and they are readily moved about the site utilizing crates made explicitly for boats.

Dolphin Patrollers

One element of the complete defensive system defending the Sevastopol naval facility is the deployment of dolphins. The base is fortified with anti-torpedo nets, depth charge systems, and rocket launchers. Divers will encounter the difficult barrier the watchful dolphins offers if they can get beyond these levels of defense.

The Russian Black Sea Navy has been the target of several drone strikes ever since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in 2022, as per a Politico report. These instances led to increased security measures, which included including dolphins in the defensive plan.

Sevastopol, which is in Crimea and was taken by Moscow in 2014, is strategically vital to Russia. The facility holds weak Russian ships that are safe from missile attacks but yet susceptible to attacks from below the water's surface.

What Makes Dolphins Effective?

Due to dolphins' ability to detect underwater things like mines using echolocation during the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union studied using dolphins, according to The Guardian.

With nearly $28 million invested, the US has continued a study involving dolphins and sea lions that might enhance military activities. Additionally, Ukraine had a dolphin training program close to Sevastopol that was resurrected in 2012 but was taken over by Russia after the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Marine creatures have more considerable natural talents compared to robots when it comes to identifying underwater dangers, despite substantial recent advances in military technology. The US Navy unveiled intentions in 2012 to progressively end its use of marine mammals and replace them with robots. Over $90 million in significant money was allotted for research to deliver military robots by 2017. However, such robotic systems have yet to be implemented.

The US Navy's official website stated that although underwater drones may soon be able to carry out these tasks, the present technology cannot compete with the extraordinary talents of marine creatures.

The extraordinary swimming abilities of bottlenose dolphins, which can swim up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) per hour, have earned them worldwide acclaim. Even the most skilled human divers cannot match dolphins' agility, making them an effective deterrent against covert underwater assaults.

There have been hints of Russian military interaction with dolphins in areas other than Sevastopol. Their use at the Tartus naval port in Syria during the Syrian conflict was evident from satellite photography.

In addition, claims of a beluga whale that may have been trained by the Russian military being observed off the coast of Norway surfaced in 2019. Fishermen observed the beluga whale sporting strange trappings, indicating cameras and disrupting their boats.