50 years ago, the U.S. Navy enlisted sea lions and other marine mammals

Excerpt from the December 22, 1973 issue of Science News

Sea lion playing a video game

Spike the California sea lion, a member of the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, is trained to play a video game — part of research into cognitive enrichment for animals in the program.

Jaime Ciciora

Flipper joins the navyScience News, December 22, 1973

Porpoises, sea lions and even whales have been trained to retrieve dummy rockets and other objects from the bottom of the ocean….