Mined Dolphins: Why Animals Have a Long History of War

The location in the Strait of Hormuz remains tense. In order to counteract the blockade by US warships, Tehran is planning to use it, according to the Wall Street Journal previously unused weapon systems take into consideration. In addition to submarines, these could also be mine-carrying dolphins.

Dolphins have been around for a long time

The idea of ​​using bottlenose dolphins in sea combat is not new. The USA and Russia maintain programsto use marine mammals for military purposes. Both sides have trained dolphins to detect sea mines. According to the US Navy, dolphins detected over 100 mines in the port of Umm Qasr during the 2003 Iraq War. The Americans also use dolphins for guarding tasks. You are supposed to attach a buoy to enemy divers that pulls them to the surface.

The latter is particularly worth talking about. Political analyst Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington called the dolphin idea a “very crazy, asymmetrical tool” that “doesn’t exude any strength.”

A look at history shows that the use of animals in war is neither new nor necessarily successful:

Exploding rats

The British also came up with the idea of ​​equipping animals with bombs. In the Second World War They prepared dead rats with explosives. They were supposed to be placed by underground fighters on the coal reserves next to German heaters. Shoveled into the heating system by the Germans, they were then supposed to cause destruction. Other explosive rats were fitted with time fuses. However, the first shipment of 100 rat bombs was intercepted by the Nazis and the program was stopped.

Anti-tank dogs

A different approach in Fight against the Nazis chose the Russians. They trained dogs to use live anti-tank mines. The dogs, also known as anti-tank dogs, were supposed to crawl under German tanks with explosives, where they then exploded. But a lot of problems emerged in the field and it remains unclear how successful the program was. Russian propaganda spoke of 300 tanks destroyed, but there were probably significantly fewer. In 1942, the dogs are said to have even forced an entire Russian armored division to retreat.

Napalm bats

In the fight against Japan, the USA developed in the Second World War Bat bombs. 1040 animals were to be dropped on parachutes over cities in a collection container and then look for a quiet place. Time-controlled napalm incendiary devices were then intended to cause destruction, as many Japanese houses at that time were still made of wood and paper. After a few training accidents and because of the development of the atomic bomb, the program was canceled.

Infested fleas and flies

Japan also relied on animals as weapons during World War II. That’s how they were back then infected insects dropped from airplanes to cause cholera and plague in China. 440,000 Chinese are said to have died. Similar insect weapons were also being researched in Canada at the time. France and Germany also worked on insect warfare. They examined the use of Colorado potato beetles to destroy the enemy’s food supplies. During the Cold War, both the United States and Russia pursued additional insect programs.

Sea Lion Guardian

The US Navy uses sea lions as guards. The animals protect harbors and warships. For example, you can attach tracking devices to enemy divers that function like handcuffs. They are also trained to recover military items. For example, you will learn how to attach rescue ropes to such objects.

Pigeon guided missiles

During World War II, American behavioral scientist BF Skinner developed a system that allowed pigeons to guide rockets. They sat in a kind of cockpit and saw the target, such as an enemy ship, on a screen in front of them. They had to constantly peck at the target, which translated into course corrections. The project was finally abandoned in 1953 with the development of electronic steering systems.

War elephants

Since ancient times, military commanders have used elephants to fight battles. Such missions have been handed down by Hannibal and Alexander the Great. Elephants were also used later, but with the advent of powerful firearms, they were no longer used in battle, but as transport animals.

War pigs

Pigs proved to be an effective remedy against elephants early on. They are said to have frightened the elephants so much that they ran away. Both the Romans and Alexander the Great are said to have used pigs against enemies with elephants.

Minesweeping rats

The Belgian non-governmental organization Apopo has been using giant hamster rats for mine clearance in East Africa for several years. The animals called Hero Rat have already detected tens of thousands of mines and thus supported the clearance of this deadly danger. In other parts of the world, rats are also used by various organizations for demining. Last year managed it A rodent named Ronin even made it into the Guinness Book of Recordsbecause he sniffed out well over 100 mines and prevented numerous tragedies. In 2020, another rat, Magawa, was in Cambodia for his services was honored with a gold medal.

Fee Anabelle Riebeling (fee) has been working for 20 minutes since 2014. She is deputy. Head of Knowledge, History & Digital and Head of the Fact Check & Verification expert committee.

Jean-Claude Gerber (jcg) has been working for 20 minutes since 2005. He has been head of the Knowledge, History and Digital department since 2013 and a Blattmacher since 2020.