While it may seem, at first glance, like a made-up Mad Libs of conservation awesomeness, this story is 100% real. Five dogs are really positioned on paddleboards sniffing out platypuses, and there are pictures to prove it.

What's The Jam has the scoop on the pups' efforts to find the reclusive endangered species and 26 others in Victoria, Australia.

The paddleboards help humans and the dogs get to spots in creeks that are inaccessible by foot. It also allows them to avoid the ire of nearby snakes.

Not just any dog can accomplish the mission, as What's The Jam noted that some of the dogs were once experts in sniffing for drugs. Dogs' prodigious sense of smell gives them the edge over humans in this sort of work.

To seek out endangered species on the paddleboards, the dogs run through core workouts on land. The handlers, meanwhile, have their own fitness program and practice interpreting the dogs' mannerisms while paddling in the water.

The Penn Vet Working Dog Centre opened in 2019 and now features five trained dogs and three human handlers who can help find endangered species without disturbing them in their habitat. The dogs' work informs conservation efforts for vulnerable species such as the platypus, which need to be protected to preserve biodiversity, ecosystems, and food webs.

When an endangered species becomes extinct, it damages the health and balance of an entire ecosystem, triggering a cascading effect felt by other organisms within the habitat.

This is just one of many examples of man's best friend being a valued partner in conservationism in tandem with humans.

Not only can they sniff out endangered animals, but dogs can also pick out unwanted intruders like the invasive green crab or the spotted lanternfly. Those efforts can help protect vineyards as well as other animals and plants in local ecosystems.

Dogs can also unearth hidden treasures that widen our understanding of the world. A standout in that department is a pup in Oregon tasked with finding rare and undiscovered truffles.

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Trained canines are also major allies in the fight against smugglers and poachers because of their tracking abilities. Galileo, a particularly prolific pup, has contributed to 91 arrests of animal traffickers in India. Those efforts span continents with Welsh dogs heading to Africa to aid in the conservation of warthogs and other signature animals.

Still, it is hard to top the image of a dog on a paddleboard seeking out a platypus. That being said, a dog sniffing out whale poop while at sea might be up to the challenge.

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