Incredible dog retires after performing critical job that only he could do: 'No substitute'

The technology we have at our disposal today is nothing short of mind-blowing. Yet, somehow Mother Nature still manages to craft tools that humans couldn't even sniff.

Take Kilo, for instance. This German shepherd was an eight-year veteran of the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service until his retirement last month, according to the Vancouver Sun. His job was to detect invasive mussel species using his superpowerful nose that has become the stuff of legends.

In over 200 inspections, Kilo sniffed out more than two dozen contaminations. His exceptional work protecting Vancouver's delicate aquatic ecosystem resulted in the expansion of the program. He even got a fellow German shepherd named Major on the BC Conservation Officer Service payroll.

The canine species is renowned for its exceptional sense of smell. Dogs have applied their noses to everything from disaster rescue to bomb-sniffing operations to discovering new species of truffles.

Kilo's olfactory acumen, however, is even more exceptional than most.

"Kilo's abilities are uniquely exceptional, and there is simply no substitute, human or mechanical, that can achieve what Kilo can and has done with his nose," the dog's handler, Sgt. Dan Bartol, told the Sun.

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On top of his incredible invasive mussel-detection abilities, Kilo is adept at a variety of other scent-centric skills. Bartol said that the shepherd is also "trained to search for people and evidence, including bear parts and shell casings, and assisted in numerous COS investigations."

Dogs are enough of a reason all their own to inspire us to protect our planet. Not only do they offer pure unconditional love and companionship, but they help us in our conservation efforts. Kilo isn't the only example, either.

In Australia, scent-detection dogs are even being used to protect the endangered koala population. They're doing this by seeking out koalas that are free of the dangerous chlamydia infections that threaten the species.

There's also a dog named Eba in California that was adopted by a research biologist and trained to sniff out orca excrement. Her unique skill is being used to track and protect the endangered species.