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Elon Musk reveals what happens when a rocket launch needs approval from Fish and Wildlife

Elon: "Nonetheless, we were forced to kidnap a seal, strap it to a board, put headphones on the seal and play sonic boom sounds to it to see if it would be distressed."

Elon: "This is an… pic.twitter.com/D9jAspBOk3

— Naruto (@NarutoNolimits) August 3, 2026

Elon Musk reveals what happens when a rocket launch needs approval from Fish and Wildlife

Elon: "Nonetheless, we were forced to kidnap a seal, strap it to a board, put headphones on the seal and play sonic boom sounds to it to see if it would be distressed."

Elon: "This is an actual thing that happened. This is actually real. I have pictures."

Before the seal, there was a shark.

Elon: "One of the things that was a bit of a challenge at one point is that they were worried about our rocket hitting a shark."

He asked for the data to calculate the odds. They refused, in case shark hunters got hold of it.

Elon: "Then they said, well, there's another part of Fish and Wildlife that can do this analysis. I'm like, well, why don't you give them the data? They don't, we don't trust them. Like, excuse me, but they're literally in your department."

Then a second agency raised whales.

Elon: "If our rocket does hit a whale, which is extremely unlikely beyond all belief, that whale has some seriously bad luck. It's the least lucky whale ever."

The seal test was for launches out of Vandenberg, where the seal population has been rising for years.

Elon: "So if anything, rocket booms are an aphrodisiac based on the evidence."

Elon: "The amazing part is how calm the seal was. Because if I was a seal, I'd be like, this is the end. They're definitely gonna eat me."

Elon: "Its seal buddies are never gonna believe him that he got strapped to a board and they put headphones on his ears."

They did it twice.

Elon: "I don't think the public is quite aware of the madness that goes on."