European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 24, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes Friday february 24,1989 panel clears Navy of Dolphin abuse by Norman Black a military writer Washington a team of government and private veterinarians has cleared the Navy of allegations that it mistreated dolphins and sea Lions being trained for underwater surveillance. The Marine Mamma commission review team after what it described As an extensive Survey of Navy facilities and practices sharply criticized a for Mer Navy Trainer and other unidentified sources who alleged last november that the service was guilty of animal abuse. The review team found the allegations to be substantively lacking said the commission s report release wednesday by the Navy. The team concluded that allegations had been put Forward in such a Way As to create an inaccurate picture the report continued. Furthermore the team concluded that had the sole motivation underly ing the allegations been concern for the health welfare and care of the animals the former Trainer would have made better use than he did of the Navy s animal care  the program now includes about 115 animals the majority of them dolphins. The service trains the mammals to detect enemy scuba divers and to Hunt for underwater mines. The pro Gram began More than 20 years ago. The Washington based Marine mammal commission which advis Sall Federal agencies on the handling of Marine mammals ordered an investigation after former Navy Trainer Rick Trout alleged last november that he had witnessed incidents of abuse weight loss Corporal punishment and damage to animals after  Trout who no longer works for the Navy made the allegations during an appearance before a meeting of the International Marine animal trainers association in san Antonio Texas. To investigate the allegations the commission appointed a seven Mem Ber review team that included veterinarians or doctors from the agriculture department the National Marine fish eries services universities and the Chi Cago zoological society. None of the members had ties to the Navy. After conducting lengthy interviews with Trout and other former Navy employees and then inspecting Navy facilities and records the review team concluded that a Navy Dolphin that died after being transported to the persian Gulf did not succumb to poor training mistreatment mishandling or changes in water  the Dolphin died of bronchial pneumonia. There is no evidence that the nutritional program As it presently exists has adversely affected the health and welfare of the animals and there is certainly no evidence of intentional starvation. The Only Trainer Ever observed using food to bait a Dolphin during training or dumping fish outside a netted pen As punishment was the per son making the  there have been Only two isolated incidents in the past three years of a Trainer slapping or striking a Dolphin and in both cases the trainers were immediately disciplined. During the last 22 months three dolphins have died at the Navy s Mam Mal Center in san Diego. The deaths were not related to improper training poor handling techniques or inadequate veterinary  and there is no evidence of Ani Mals having been blinded or injured As a result of poor training  the team did not give the Navy a completely clean Bill of health. For example it concluded that the Navy s san Diego facility where Trout worked did a better Job than a facility in Hawaii of ensuring that veterinarians supervised All aspects of care an training. It also criticized delays in the hiring of two additional full time veterinarians and noted that in the past there has been one High level person within the Pentagon responsible for the Marine mammal  that does not appear to be the Case now. The team recommends that Suchan assignment be  All in All though the Navy is follow ing or exceeding Federal guidelines for the proper handling of Marine Mam Mals the team said. And in some areas such As the ratio of trainers and veterinarians to animals and medical care standards and record keeping the Navy s performance is As Good As or better than in other  anxious scientists await incubation of 2 eggs Laid by captive condors stateside san Diego a two eggs Laid by captive pairs of endangered California condors have been placed in incubation while anxious scientists wait to learn whether either one is Fertile zoo official said. The newest egg discovered tuesday at the san Diego wild animal Park was produced by condors in 1 and ac4 one Day after an egg was found at the state s other Breeding station at the los an Geles zoo Park spokesman Tom Hanscom said. We be had in hand 18 eggs and this one is on the Small Side but we be seen healthy Birds Hatch from smaller eggs he said. Both eggs must incubate for about a week before keepers will be Able to Tell whether they re Fertile. If so a Chick could Hatch in about two months if there Are no complications officials said. The egg found monday at the los Angeles zoo was removed tuesday from the plywood nest Box of male Cuyama and female Cachura when both vultures were away from it zoo spokeswoman Lor Lamarca said. The 8 /2-ounce egg about 5 inches Long and 3 inches wide was placed in a padded wooden Box with hot water bottles to keep it warm during the trip to the state s other Condor Breeding station atthe wild animal Park. The egg was transferred to the Northern san Diego county Park because the los Angeles zoo is installing new incubation facilities Lamarca said. Or. Michael Wallace curator of Birds at los an Geles zoo said after the egg was Laid monday that he hoped to collect As Many As three eggs from Cuyama and Cachura during the january through april laying season. The condors Recycle their mating habits if their or. Michael Wallace left and Don Richardson. Careful handling at los Angeles zoo nest loses an egg and the female usually takes month to produce another egg he said. All 28 California condors known to remain alive Are in Captivity half at the los Angeles zoo and half at the wild animal Park near Escondido. The Condor eggs discovered this week Are Amon the Only three Laid in Captivity. Miami Airport adds device to find barometric bombs Miami a Miami International Airport has joined several other maj9r . Airports in installing a device capable of detecting bombs similar to the one that destroyed pan am flight 103, an Airport spokes Man said. The $770,000 decompression chamber guards against barometric bombs detonated by pressure changes at High altitudes said Airport spokesman Chris mangos. It is the first such device to be installed i Florida he said. If such a bomb is hidden in the cargo or Luggage it will explode within the thick Concrete Walls of the chamber mangos said wednesday. Miami International officials built the narrow 89 foot Long chamber at the insistence of Israel s Al Al airlines known for its strict Security measures. Showers of funny Money cause Calif traffic jams Irvine Calif. A traffic jams flourished this week As motorists jumped from their cars to scoop up thousands of $100 Bills apparently tossed from a car. But there was a catch the Money was funny. In fact the Pale Lime Green Bills did t look much jeer than photocopies but that did t Stop motorists monday and tuesday As they screeched to the Side of roads and jumped out to get Rich Quick. The first Cash storm was reported at 9 . Monday when $50,000 to $100,000 was found along four Miles of a Parkway. A Short time later about $10,000 in Bills were reported fluttering along the Costa Mesa free Way. Then on tuesday morning $200,000 More littered the san Diego freeway in san Clemente. Secret service agents Are trying to learn the source of the Money. New York a the . Government is going into Hock faster than the Eye can follow. A new digital readout unveiled by a real estate Developer shows the National debt jumping by $8,000 a second a rate that made the last four numbers a blur. Below the main number that depicted the spiralling $2.7 trillion National debt on a building in Midtown Manhattan was a second figure tracking each Ameri can family s share of the indebtedness Over $41,000, and growing. The readout dubbed the National debt clock was unveiled wednesday by Seymour b. Durst a real estate devel oper who has been campaigning publicly against governmental debt for a decade. Durst 75, started warning about the debt by sending a new year s card to government and business leaders in 1980. At that time As the card pointed out the debt was $914 billion and each family s portion was $11,362. Durst said it Cost his old York foun Dation about $120,000 to set up the debt clock which is at the Northwest Corner of 6th Avenue and 42nd Street a Block East of where the Ball drops at Midnight on new year s eve. Just the interest on the National debt is More than the Federal budget Defi Cit said Durst before unveiling the clock. At about $170 billion the interest is the third largest expenditure of the government More than the combined welfare and housing Cost he said. The clock is meant to give the alar to people he said. Durst then threw a switch and work men four stories up on the Side of a building uncovered the readout. The numbers read 2 trillion 726 Bil lion 728 million 540-Odd thousand and a blur. Few passers by Heads ducked or holding umbrellas against rain appeared to take notice immediately. The clock is connected by Telephone to Durst s office a Block to the North so that he can adjust it As indebtedness speeds or slows. It s running wild said Durst. This year in four months it has increased the equivalent of six months increase of