Trained dogs sniff out protected species for conservation work

Specially trained dogs can find protected animal and plant species faster than people, and a Salzburg association is deploying them across Austria, ORF reported.

Sarek, a 10-year-old dog, is one of around 50 certified conservation dogs in Austria. He is trained to find wolf and wildcat droppings, detect bird collision victims beneath wind turbines and distinguish water samples containing the scent of stone crayfish from those containing other crayfish. He has also worked with cheetah droppings in Africa.

Dogs can be trained to recognise up to 30 species. Trainers use metal tins containing different scent samples to teach them what to find. In forests with many tree cavities, for example, the dogs can quickly detect bats living in trees, making surveys cheaper. They can also be trained to find bark beetle infestations or diseased fruit trees.

The dogs are of interest to Salzburg’s environmental ombudsman’s office, which may need to establish whether a particular species is present. The association’s dogs already work around Austria and in neighbouring countries, and it is seeking more dogs and handlers. No scientific background is required, but handlers must be interested in the subject, willing to train and happy to spend time outdoors. Basic training takes one to two years; once trained, a dog can learn a new scent within days.