Sniper dogs are usually seen searching for contraband at airports and train stations, but the British government is now deploying trained hounds to find pests that harm forests.
For the first time in the UK, dogs have been used to identify diseases in trees. Researchers at the Forest Research Institute used trained spanadors (a cross between a cocker spaniel and a labrador) to find pathogens in trees. Phytophthora Ramorum.
Ivar, a 6-year-old dog, has an 89% first-time pest detection rate. This is an important discovery as the disease is a threat to UK forests. The fungus-like organism, which is spread by rain, has caused widespread tree and shrub death and led to the clearing of thousands of hectares across the UK.
Forest Research pathologist Dr Heather Dunn said: “The results of the trial are very encouraging, with an 89% initial detection rate, highlighting the huge potential of dogs to fight pests and disease.” said.
“Biosecurity is extremely important and sniffer dogs like Ivor are an exciting new way to protect our trees.”
Researchers trained Ivor to recognize the scent of pathogens. In the first round he succeeded in identifying Phytophthora Ramorum In soil, plant material, and sterile distilled water. Then he was trained to distinguish Phytophthora Ramorum from someone else's scent Phytophthora Species commonly found in the same environment.
Detection dogs have long been used to hunt insects. In 2012, a team of sniffer dogs from the Austrian Plant Health Inspection Service were used to track down an outbreak of longhorn beetles in Paddock Wood, Kent.
Because of the many successful trials, Forest Research will consider using sniffer dogs to combat other pests and diseases in the future. They plan to experiment on dogs to track down the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle.
Professor Nicola Spence, UK Head of Plant Health, said: Phytophthora RamorumAlongside other innovative approaches to dealing with pests and diseases, plays a key role in maintaining biosecurity to achieve the vision set out in our world-leading plant biosecurity strategy. Probably. ”
