Challenging the Navy's Treatment of Wild Dolphins

Overview

The International Marine Mammal Project joined a coalition of environmental and animal rights groups in an action against the U.S. Navy regarding its plan to "deploy" Atlantic bottlenose dolphins at the Bangor Naval Submarine Base in the state of Washington. Specifically, the plaintiffs challenged the Navy's failure to conduct an environmental analysis for its controversial plan to take dolphins from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the cold waters off Washington for military use. The court agreed with the plaintiffs about the necessity of an environmental analysis. As a result, the Navy abandoned its plan and implemented a policy that prohibited the movement of dolphins between environments with radically different water temperatures. 

Significant Developments

November 2, 1989: Case Update

Court denies defendants' motion to dismiss.

Project

International Marine Mammal Project

Attorney

John Costo

Focus Area

Wildlife Protection