Where does the military get the mine seeking dolphins? Do they capture them in the wild then set them loose in the area after they are trained?
Also, is it true that 20,000 trained monkeys are being set loose in the mine fields in Iraq? Unlike the dolphins, I have heard that the monkeys are killed in the process of locating mines.
As far as the two dolphins from Hawai’i are concerned, they were “collected” in the Gulf of Mexico and brought to the Islands for training at the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program (now located in San Diego, where I think most of the deployed dolphins are from). I think the concept of “setting them loose in the area” is a bit erroneous; I’d think the actual procedure is more akin to giving them a task to perform, waiting for them to return from performing it, and giving them positive reinforcement.
On a more interesting note, the article linked above claims the dolphins may be more in danger from local dolphins than the mines themselves, being that dolphins are highly territorial creatures.
However, I know nothing about the monkeys, and will refrain from any further reference to “Rhesus pieces.”
I think there was a thread somewhere mentioning the monkeys, but I don’t recall where it was and the board is acting up a bit for me so I’m afraid to search.
The monkey report evolved from an offer that Morocco made to the Coalition of 2,000 monkeys for mine-removal purposes. I’m assuming the U.S. turned down the offer.
I googled and found the original wire report about this:
Ohhh, that Rhesus thing was really bad. 
Thanks for the info.