In an extraordinary moment of discovery, a trained sniffer dog uncovered a critically endangered species in the Australian bush—something wildlife experts are calling a potential game-changer for the protection of rare species.
Three specialized dogs—Daisy, Sugar, and Kip—were trained for a month to detect the elusive and critically endangered Victorian grassland eless dragon, a tiny lizard species that had not been seen since the 1960s. For decades, scientists feared the species was extinct, but in 2023, it was unexpectedly rediscovered by ecologists while surveying private farmland.
These dragons are rarely spotted as they spend most of their time hidden in wolf spider holes, but the trained dogs have the remarkable ability to detect them using their sense of smell, which is up to 100,000 times more sensitive than a human’s.
Specialist trainer Dr. Nick Rutter described the moment he and Daisy found their first dragon. Daisy alerted to a small hole in the ground, and upon using an endoscope, Dr. Rutter saw a tiny dragon’s face staring back at him—a moment of wonder for the team.
The work of these dogs is helping researchers gather essential data on the population density of the species and aiding in their inclusion in Zoos Victoria’s captive breeding program, a crucial step in ensuring the survival of this rare lizard.
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