A declassified 1964 CIA memorandum titled “Operational Evaluation of the Dolphin Proposal”, catalogued as DOC_15687502, reveals a concrete step toward exploring the use of dolphins in covert marine espionage.
The document outlines an internal review process regarding a contractor-led proposal for a nine-month feasibility study into the potential operational utility of trained dolphins in intelligence missions.
The proposal came with a price tag of $97,000-a substantial sum at the time-and was framed as part of broader CIA interest in unconventional field operations.
🌊 Dolphins as Covert Operatives
The memo indicates that the dolphin project was expected to support marine covert operations, though no specific tasks are spelled out.
However, from context and parallel programs of the era, likely applications include:
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Harbor surveillance and underwater photography
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Payload delivery or retrieval
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Object detection (e.g., mines, cables, or submerged packages)
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Potential interference with enemy divers or craft
The memo stresses that the Special Operations Division would need to evaluate whether the demonstration of feasibility had continued operational interest.
🔍 Oversight and Monitoring
Responsibility for the program would be divided between:
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ORD (Office of Research and Development) for scientific, technical, and management oversight
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Special Operations Division for operational integration and field coordination
Operational monitoring would require direct and ongoing contact with project investigators both at the primary research site and in real-world test environments.
This suggests the CIA saw real potential in adapting the natural abilities of dolphins for field-level missions-not just theory or lab trials.
🧠 Multi-Agency Input
The document also notes that the project would undergo continued review by Dr. Galler’s office in the Office of National Estimates (ONE), indicating broader cross-agency interest.
While the specific methods and objectives remain classified or were never committed to paper, the structure laid out in this memo shows that serious attention and funding were being allocated to animal-assisted espionage.
🕳️ The Edges of Experimental Intelligence
Though this 1964 initiative might sound speculative today, it fits a broader Cold War pattern in which the CIA explored unconventional tactics-including the use of birds, cats, and now dolphins-for intelligence gathering.
It’s unclear from the document whether the project was eventually launched or canceled, but the level of planning suggests it was more than a passing idea.
