Canines in Conservation

Photo: Center For Conservation Biology

Scat dogs are integral to learning and helping to save endangered animals such as the Orca whale. By sniffing the scat of these animals, they can non-invasively monitor the patterns of different animals. It tells of environmental changes and helps indicate any disease or other factors that affect these breeds. Scat detection can determine the sex, stress, system incompetence and reproductive health.

What Makes A Great Scat Detection Dog

Dogs who have a high play drive are ideal for this type of work. They will live for a game of fetch or romp and play. It's much different than a dog who has a high prey drive. Usually, dogs for this have such a high sense of adventure, they aren't good family pets and wind up in a shelter.

The Center of Conservation Biology is a non-profit organization that conducts studies to see how humans have impacted these animals and how they are faring in their survival over a vast geographical area.

Affiliated with the University of Washington, they are based on a 4,300 acre area of land, it has a state of the art training center in operation for the eleven dogs currently working on their team. They also offer permanent housing for the dogs and their handlers.

Each dog is trained in identifying the scat of different species such as Wolverine, Cougar, Grizzly Bears, Sea Turtle nests, Northern Spotted Owls and Midland caribou, just to name a few. They each have their specialties and travel around the world to do their research. After 8 to 9 years, most dogs retire and live in a place with their handler where they can enjoy their retirement.

Let's Discuss!

How have scat detection dogs helped the wildlife in your neck of the woods?

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