Unlikely heroes emerge to protect local lake from dangerous menace: 'In their mind, they're playing a huge game of hide and seek'

Two dogs, Splash and Minnow, are helping protect Rancho Seco Lake in California against invasive golden mussels.

The golden mussels haven't reached Rancho Seco Lake yet, and that's in large part due to a new company, Mussel Dogs.

According to CBS News, Debi DeShon's 16 dogs sniff the boats before they are allowed to enter the lake.

Company owner DeShon said, "Dogs in their mind, they're playing a huge game of hide and seek.

She trained the dogs on golden, zebra, and quagga mussels by covering balls with their scent and teaching the canines to find them in boxes and sit or stare at them.

"The golden mussel is the newest one in our area," DeShon explained.

Golden mussels, which are native to Asia, "are now spreading through delta waterways, harming native species and water clarity," per CBS News.

They attach themselves to kayaks and boats, and in their larval stage, they are almost undetectable.

Once these mussels get into the lake, it's too late. That's why detecting the mussels before they enter the waterway is vital.

It's a good thing Splash and Minnow think it's all a game because keeping the invasive mussels out of the lake is a pretty big responsibility.

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely 💯 It depends on the species 🤔 I don't know 🤷 No — leave nature alone 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Invasive species can take a significant toll on the economy, costing the U.S. $20 billion annually for cleanup and management.

According to Science News, Asian tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes are among the most financially draining invasive species, costing the world nearly $150 billion.

It's not just a loss of money. Invasive species are also harmful to public health. For instance, these two mosquito species wreaked havoc by spreading yellow and dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya. That's also where most of the cost stems from.

Invasive species can drive native species to extinction, which has a domino effect. When one animal disappears, it can disrupt the food chain, causing more organisms to vanish.

Luckily, Rancho Seco Lake has Splash and Minnow and the other Mussel Dogs, many of which are rescues.

You can take local action to combat invasive species by volunteering to remove them and educating yourself and others about unwelcome invaders in your area.

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