A 13-year-old girl is recovering in hospital following an attack by a sea lion. She was on a surfboard, being towed behind a boat, when the sea lion struck. She sustained a broken jaw, lost teeth, and a wound under her chin when the sea lion leapt out of the water and "went for her throat". The boat's driver is reported as saying that he thought the Perth (WA, Australia) teenager would die in the attack - likening it to a white pointer jumping out of the water. Previously, sea lions had been better known for their playfulness rather than savagery. Until, that is, the US Navy recruited them - and dolphins - as part of a program to detect terrorists and mines (underwater). Both species can find mines and spot swimmers in murky waters. Working in unison, the dolphins can drop a flashing light near a mine or a swimmer. The sea lions carry in their mouths a cable and a handcuff-like device that clamps onto a terrorist's leg. Sailors can then use the cable to reel in the terrorist. About 75 dolphins and 25 sea lions are housed at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego Harbor as part of the anti-terrorist program.
1 comment:
Urban myth, surely.
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