"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
16 Jun 2023
In a bid to save the endangered species of Great Crested Newts, a super-sniffer dog named Willow has been trained and put to work in southern England. The black Labrador Retriever can detect the presence of the newts by their scent, which is imperceptible to humans.
Willow is the latest addition to the team of conservationists at the Surrey Wildlife Trust, who have been working tirelessly to protect the newts and their habitat from the threat of development projects. The Great Crested Newt is protected under UK law and is a European protected species, but their populations have declined significantly due to loss of habitat and other factors.
Willow is trained to locate the newts by detecting their scent in water samples taken from ponds and other water bodies. Her incredible sense of smell has enabled her to detect the presence of the newts with a high degree of accuracy, which has helped researchers to identify new populations of the species and protect them from harm.
The use of sniffer dogs in conservation efforts has become increasingly popular in recent years, with dogs being trained to detect a range of endangered species including bats, birds, and even whales. It is hoped that Willow's success in protecting the Great Crested Newt will inspire further efforts to use canine conservationists to protect the world's endangered species.
