An incredible step in conservation efforts has come from "man's best friend." Dogs are excellent trackers that can help provide valuable information from wild animal poop, aiding in conservation endeavors. This is some of the essential work done by Rita Santos and her rescue dog, Hera, as reported by Daily Paws.
In 2017, Rita Santos adopted Hera, a two-year-old stray born on the streets of Lisbon who was surrendered by her adopted family due to her high energy levels. For Rita Santos, a conservation detection dog handler and founder of Dogs For Nature, Hera's energy levels were the perfect fit for their mission: tracking and identifying animal species to help with conservation efforts.
"We tested her and she did awesome," Rita Santos told Daily Paws. "She came into my life to be a spare dog, because it's good to have two dogs so one doesn't get all the work [and] she ended up doing the whole project herself."
Rita Santos was working with her dog, Zeus, on tracking animal scat. According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, animal scat provides information on an animal's diet, genetic ancestry, and health. By analyzing the scat, researchers can gather information that helps monitor and protect animals, all while not coming in contact with them.
Santos described Hera's role in the conservation project, highlighting the importance of scat analysis.
"To help monitor species," Santos told Daily Paws. "To help elusive animals, she finds invasive species, [but] her main job is to find poop."
Conserving plants and animals is vital to protecting the natural world. Every plant and animal has an important role in the local ecosystem and food chain, as the National Wildlife Federation notes, so preserving animals through all the information scientists have access to can help maintain the environment for the future.
"Non-invasive animal monitoring is vital to more effective conservation efforts for endangered species, and dogs have a real nose for science when it comes to detecting them," Dogs For Nature's mission states.
According to Daily Paws, Hera and Rita have an active lifestyle, traveling from project to project.
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Definitely 👍 "It's kind of a lifestyle, instead of a job," Santos told Daily Paws.
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Together, Hera and Rita have helped identify 17 different animals, including brown bears, wolves, sea turtles, grasshoppers, and lizards.
In recent years, dogs have become an incredibly important part of animal conservation. They're able to track invasive species, like the spotted lanternfly, and protect vineyards from infection and insects. Dogs are also able to track people who need help after disasters, such as avalanches and wildfires.
Even beyond their skills, dogs provide a safe and nurturing relationship in the field. According to Rita, Hera is a "calming influence" and provides comfort on their travels.
"She is the center of my world right now," Santos told Daily Paws.
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