Another example of a dog's ability

by MRNOODLES 07.06.16 23:51

Forgive me if in the wrong place to post. This was on our local East Anglia News.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-36462587

Sniffer dog helps Norwich newt conservation for bypass

A sniffer dog has been brought in to help protect a newt population living along the site of a proposed new road.
Rocky, the newt-hunting spaniel, has been drafted in to sniff out the amphibians along the route of the planned bypass to the north of Norwich.
Natural England has been overseeing the safe removal of the protected great crested newts to secure areas nearby.
Ecologists need to remove protected species and other wildlife to safe areas before building work can begin.
Specially-trained Rocky is being brought in for a week to ensure none remain along the 12-mile (20km) route.
More newt news and other Norfolk stories
Since the warm spring weather brought the newts out of hibernation, more than 7km (4.3 miles) of amphibian fencing has been used to steer them into bucket traps in the three areas on the route of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road.
Another example of a dog's ability _89901301_rocky_newt

Another example of a dog's ability _89901301_rocky_newt

Image copyrightWAGTAIL UKImage captionRocky has been trained to recognise the scent of newts in return for his favourite treat - a tennis ball
The buckets are checked daily by ecologists and any creatures inside are transferred to more suitable habitats away from the development site.

Newt vs tennis ball

So far, more than 340 great crested newts have been relocated together with 450 smooth newts, about 850 toads, 90 frogs and an assortment of reptiles and mammals, including a baby hedgehog.
Two-year-old Rocky will be tasked with using his sensitive nose to sniff out any remaining newts.
Another example of a dog's ability _89904718_hi005561976

Another example of a dog's ability _89904718_hi005561976

Image copyrightSPLImage captionGreat crested newts are a protected species in the UK Another example of a dog's ability _89904725_rocky

Image copyrightWAGTAIL UKImage captionRocky's trainer said he is more used to hunting for bats
Trainer Aran Clyne, from sniffer dog firm Wagtail UK, said it takes several months to train a dog to identify wildlife.
"It's all about building an association between the newt smell and Rocky's reward, the tennis ball," he said. "Whenever he finds a newt, he gets his ball."
Another example of a dog's ability _89907101_rocky_ball

Another example of a dog's ability _89907101_rocky_ball

Image captionAll that hard work has its rewards - Rocky's favourite treat - a tennis ball
This is Rocky's first foray into newt conservation as he is more used to sniffing out bats, another protected species, on sites designated for new windfarms.
Once he has located the wayward newts, they will be moved by hand.
Norfolk County Council, who employed Rocky, said: "Using a sniffer dog is a quick, efficient and cost-effective way of carrying out final checks of cleared areas. Without a trained sniffer dog all suitable areas would have to be laboriously searched by hand by ecologists."
Another example of a dog's ability _89893113_bypass

Another example of a dog's ability _89893113_bypass

Image copyrightNORFOLK COUNTY COUNCILImage captionThe new route will bypass Norwich to the north

by Cmaryholmes 08.06.16 10:19

That is really interesting. I have personal experience of my collie ( untrained in anything but ball chasing) finding a metal object lost on a large field. I was astonished. When particular breeds are trained for a specific task the results are even more impressive. Except to Mr Gerry McCann, of course, who knows that they are scientifically proven to be incredibly unreliable. This bloke is supposed to be a doctor.

Another example of a dog's ability

Another example of a dog's ability

Newt vs tennis ball

Re: Another example of a dog's ability

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