US Navy sea lions and dolphins taught to play video games - and they 'love' it
US Navy sea lions and dolphins are learning how to play video games which scientists say is making the animals happy and also potentially healthier.
A sea lion called Spike – his gaming name – was the last of three sea lions to be selected to go through the Navy training which involves using a games system designed to measure cognitive enrichment in marine mammals.
The research is being conducted by the US Navy Marine Mammal Program, the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) and the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF).
The US Navy says a proven method for cognitive enrichment opens doors for more research on keeping marine mammals happy and healthy for longer.
Kelley Winship, an NMMF scientist and principal investigator for research using the Enclosure Video Enrichment (EVE) system, said: "I really care about these animals and the lives they lead.
"I love all the cool stuff we can look at with this research, but at the end of the day, I want to see them happy and enjoying themselves."
Sealion Spike uses his snout to press buttons and moves a cursor through a maze during training.
When he crosses the finish line, his trainers cheer and reward him with herring, giving him positive reinforcement for the task.
Over time, Spike and his fellow sea lion friends have been able to win on the game in fewer than seven button presses.
Spike has shown improvement in his weight and performance in health checks since beginning his training - though the US Navy says the research hasn't definitively linked the two to gaming just yet.
Roughly 300 people care for more than 120 US Navy sea lions and dolphins which are trained in reconnaissance and recovery tasks.
Using their natural sonar, dolphins are used for mine-hunting tasks, while sea lions have been used to detect unauthorised swimmers and divers who attempt to harm US naval personnel or vessels.
Ms Winship added: "My favourite part of my job is how multifaceted it is.
"I find a lot of fulfilment working with animals trained to protect our sailors and marines, especially because these animals are so capable, and they find their systems tasks so rewarding.
"And with EVE, I get to work on providing them with additional mental challenge and stimulation with a sole focus on their welfare."
She added: "The EVE system itself is proof of how much we care about marine mammals.
"We built them something that nobody else did. We trained them on it, and now we just get to enjoy watching them love video games."
Join Our Newsletter
