Conservation
Aug. 5th, 2026 11:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
first_nations_freaksDo-Good Doggies Fight Invasive Mussels on Team ‘Conservation Canines’
Invasive species of Asian mussels have met their match in Alberta’s riverine sniffer dogs. These K9 conservationists have been employed by the provincial government for over a decade to help catch zebra and golden mussels from colonizing the rivers and lakes of Alberta.
Hilo, Jane, and Winnie, 2 black labs and a black-lab cross, are part of the paws-on-the-ground response at boat inspection stations across the province. It’s now Alberta law that any watercraft must stop at an inspection station whether they are coming or going, and these patrol pooches are trained to smell the odor of developing mussel larvae which can be so small as to be detectable only by the faint feeling like sandpaper on the sides of boats or docks.
Dogs of various breeds (and landraces) have been trained to detect a range of different invasive species depending on locale. Most work by scent but some sighthounds have been used for plants that require keen vision. Dogs with strong digging instincts have been recruited to excavate plants with large or deep root systems. Some other animals have been deployed including goats -- hence the nickname "brush goats" -- pigs, and rats.
This is a great approach if your tribal land has a problem with invasive species, especially if your culture has a history of keeping dogs. Any dog-lover with patience and maybe a training manual can teach a dog to find things, which can then be removed in a species-appropriate manner.
Invasive species of Asian mussels have met their match in Alberta’s riverine sniffer dogs. These K9 conservationists have been employed by the provincial government for over a decade to help catch zebra and golden mussels from colonizing the rivers and lakes of Alberta.
Hilo, Jane, and Winnie, 2 black labs and a black-lab cross, are part of the paws-on-the-ground response at boat inspection stations across the province. It’s now Alberta law that any watercraft must stop at an inspection station whether they are coming or going, and these patrol pooches are trained to smell the odor of developing mussel larvae which can be so small as to be detectable only by the faint feeling like sandpaper on the sides of boats or docks.
Dogs of various breeds (and landraces) have been trained to detect a range of different invasive species depending on locale. Most work by scent but some sighthounds have been used for plants that require keen vision. Dogs with strong digging instincts have been recruited to excavate plants with large or deep root systems. Some other animals have been deployed including goats -- hence the nickname "brush goats" -- pigs, and rats.
This is a great approach if your tribal land has a problem with invasive species, especially if your culture has a history of keeping dogs. Any dog-lover with patience and maybe a training manual can teach a dog to find things, which can then be removed in a species-appropriate manner.
