Animals Used in Military Espionage
Spy Pigeons (WWI & WWII)
Used to carry secret messages across enemy lines, some pigeons were even fitted with tiny spy cameras to capture aerial photos.
Dolphins (U.S. Navy)
Trained to locate underwater mines and detect enemy divers, dolphins use echolocation to help in naval missions even today.
Cats (CIA’s Acoustic Kitty)
A Cold War-era project attempted to use a wired cat to eavesdrop on conversations. The mission failed, but the concept was real.
Seals (Military Programs)
Similar to dolphins, seals were trained to attach tracking devices to enemy equipment and locate underwater threats.
Bats (Bat Bomb Project)
The U.S. once designed bombs filled with bats carrying small incendiaries—meant to set fire to Japanese cities during WWII.
Ravens (Soviet Union)
Soviet experiments involved training ravens to retrieve objects or spy through windows using their intelligence and adaptability.
Bees and Rats (Modern Use)
Bees have been trained to detect explosives and diseases, while rats in African and military programs locate landmines with high accuracy.