Scent Detection Dogs Help Reintroduce Endangered Mountain Yellow-Legged Frogs
Building the Foundational Skills
Every year, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance reintroduces hundreds of endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs into their native habitats in the Southwest. To help in their sustainable conservation efforts, scent detection dogs sniff out hidden frogs that would otherwise be impossible for us to find. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and by making the process of scent detection fun and engaging, they associate it with treats and toys. The initial introduction to scent detection is simple, and gradually the searches become more complicated. Once the dog can confidently and independently search for toys and/or treats, they transition to teaching them to locate and indicate a targeted scent.
Transitioning to Other Odors
Once a strong foundation with the target scent is built, transitioning to other odors is easy. At this point, they know and understand the “game,” and just need to become familiar with a new odor. They use scent swabs to transport the frog scent to sites that are similar to where they’ll ultimately search for frogs. Scent detection dogs are most helpful when our chances of seeing frogs is lowest, and at conservation sites where other detection tools are least effective.
Becoming Wildlife Heroes
The incredible natural abilities of these frog dogs give us the opportunity to better assess the presence or absence of endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs in specific areas, furthering conservation across our Southwest Conservation Hub—all with the help of our remarkable companions becoming wildlife heroes—giving us hope for the future, right here in our own backyard.
Canine Companions that Help Save the Endangered Species
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an organization that works to protect the world’s endangered species and their habitats. As part of their efforts, they have enlisted the help of canine companions to help save these animals.
The Canine Conservationist
The Canine Conservationist program was developed by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance to provide dogs with the necessary training to work with wildlife conservationists. The program trains dogs to assist in the tracking and monitoring of endangered species, as well as the detection of poachers and other threats to wildlife.
The dogs are trained in a variety of skills, including scent detection, tracking, and obedience. They are also taught to recognize and respond to the calls of endangered species. This is especially important in areas where the species’ population is low and the animals are difficult to locate.
The program also works to educate the public about the importance of protecting endangered species and their habitats. The dogs are used in public presentations and educational events to help spread the message of conservation.
The Benefits of Canine Conservationists
The use of canine conservationists has numerous benefits for wildlife conservation efforts. The dogs can cover much larger areas than humans, making it easier to locate and monitor endangered species. They can also detect poachers and other threats to wildlife more quickly and accurately than humans.
The presence of these dogs also serves as a deterrent to poachers and other threats to wildlife. The dogs’ presence can make it more difficult for poachers to access certain areas, and the dogs’ keen sense of smell can alert conservationists to any potential threats.
The use of canine conservationists also helps to build public awareness about the importance of protecting endangered species and their habitats. The presence of these dogs in public events and presentations can help to raise awareness of the need for conservation.
The Future of Canine Conservationists
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is committed to continuing the development of the Canine Conservationist program. They are working to expand the program to include more breeds of dogs and to train more dogs for the program.
The organization is also working to develop new ways to use the dogs in their conservation efforts. This includes using the dogs to detect invasive species, monitor wildlife populations, and detect illegal activities in protected areas.
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is dedicated to protecting the world’s endangered species and their habitats. The use of canine conservationists is an important part of their efforts, and they hope to continue to expand and improve the program in the future.
