‘That’s really the ultimate goal’

To aid in the conservation of an extremely rare turtle, dogs are lending a helping paw — or in this case, nose.

As WABI reports, conservationists in Maine are using specially trained dogs to sniff out the highly elusive wood turtle. Because the wood turtle is rare, small, and favors heavily vegetated areas, finding them is incredibly difficult. That’s where a clever black Labrador named Chili Bean comes in.

The dogs I specifically use for conservation tend more to look for odor in the air,” Lindsay Wane, the owner of Science Dogs of New England, explained.

Chili Bean supports the painstaking efforts to document and track the few remaining wood turtles in the wild. Rather than have scientists comb through miles of dense fields in hope of finding a turtle, Chili Bean sniffs them out in moments.

A dog has around 300 million olfactory receptors compared to a human’s paltry 6 million. The science dogs can cover a large area with ease.

The wood turtle is described as a “handsome, long-lived species” by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Its fetching appearance is part of the problem, for they are often collected as pets.

Additionally, habitat loss and development are threatening their long-term viability. The work of the science dogs in supporting biologists is a critical part of developing effective conservation strategies.

Dogs have been utilized in other conservation efforts worldwide.

For example, in British Columbia, they help prevent the spread of invasive species. In Britain, an English springer spaniel is helping to protect newts, while a border collie (of course) in South Africa found a long-presumed extinct mole.

Specifically trained dogs are a good example of a low-tech but effective method of taking local action to protect the environment.

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The conservationists in Maine are seeking a way for the wood turtles to live peacefully within working areas.

“If we can find management practices where they can co-exist, that’s really the ultimate goal,” Matthew Chatfield, co-lead of the Maine Wood Turtle Project, said.

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