When we talk about dogs and conservation, it is usually in the context of wildlife disturbances caused by pet dogs and their inconsiderate owners. However, a specially trained dog can be an invaluable asset in conservation projects that require searches or detection. The subjects can vary from searching and finding carcasses to detecting nests and chicks of birds nesting in burrows. That includes a dog indicating what species was found!

To explore the use of dogs in research and conservation projects I talk with Dr Caroline Finlay, the founder of Conservation Detection Dogs Northern Ireland. By listening to this episode, you will learn how it is possible to train a dog for this work. What a typical day of searching looks like. Are there any downsides to using dogs in sensitive habitats? And many more interesting facts.

You will also learn about some specific projects and common activities like searching for carcasses around wind turbines or research projects on Eurasian Curlew or Manx Shearwater. Finally, if you’re a researcher, you will learn when and how to engage with the CDDNI and see if they can be of help to your project.

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