A 6-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever is helping rid a California lake of invasive mollusks.
Lake County News highlighted the important and smelly work the dog, Edna, is doing. She's tasked with sniffing boats as they come in and out of the water, checking for invasive mollusks that attach themselves to the undersides of boats.
The criminal species in question are the quagga, zebra, and golden mussels, all of which are invasive filter feeders. They hog essential food particles, such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, and algae. The absence of these food particles disrupts the whole lake ecosystem.
The American Bass Association launched its season opener at Lake County's Clear Lake in California at the end of January, and Edna was there to sniff all 23 boats. All she needs is a mere minute to detect the mussels.
Alison Herrold, Edna's handler, said, per LCN, "It's amazing; it takes 30 seconds to a minute for Edna to inspect a boat."
Edna is a member of Mussel Dogs, a specialized team of canines that protect aquatic ecosystems. The team works with Lake County Water Resources, federal, state, and municipal agencies, and is operated by Dogs with Jobs LLC.
This process keeps Lake County's waterways safe, which is essential. About 80% of Lake County residents depend on Clear Lake for their drinking water, according to LCN. Local infrastructure would be severely hindered by a substantial mussel infestation.
This has already happened in places like California's San Joaquin Valley, where golden mussels have infested the pipes. Invasive species create serious problems, hogging resources, destroying habitats, and pushing out native species. They can leave ecosystems in ruins and are difficult to stop.
Animals like Edna can safely and effectively detect invasive species in ways that humans cannot. She's not put through any distress, and she is saving locals from a laundry list of crises.
When humans inspect the boats, the process is time-consuming, inconveniencing boaters. Edna speeds up the inspection process so everyone can continue enjoying the lake. If she sniffs out any mussels, the county provides the boat owner with decontamination services for free, according to LCN.
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Thanks to Edna and Mussel Dogs, the invasive mussel populations can't muscle their way further into these delicate ecosystems, allowing boaters to fully enjoy the lakes.
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