The U.S. Department of Defense allocates $77 million annually to the Navy's dolphin and sea lion training program. Within the program, over 120 marine mammals are used for the search of underwater mines and other objects.
Editorial information states that the training process for these animals is conducted under difficult and stressful conditions. It is reported that during training, they are kept awake, exposed to strong sound waves, and subjected to severe physical exertion.
It is noted that although the program was planned to be phased out ten years ago, the U.S. Congress did not approve this initiative and continued its funding. As a result, the program still receives a significant amount of funding from the state budget.
The U.S. Navy has previously admitted that modern unmanned underwater vehicles can perform these tasks without using animals. Nevertheless, the decision to maintain the program remains unchanged.