Conservation detection dogs demonstration

This autumn Harper Adams University welcomed Aran Clyne and his incredible trained wildlife survey detection dogs.

These dogs are better than humans at detecting a wide range of wildlife and their field signs. Students on the first year surveys skills module listened to an interesting talk on the dogs training and the wide variety of work they do. This was then followed by a demonstration from three of Aran’s dogs Arnie, Flash and Rocky (all former rescue dogs).

The highly trained Conservation Dogs are used across the UK for locating a wide variety of signs and species including dead bats near wind turbines, live great crested newts and pine martin scat.

Dogs have also been trained to work in Gabon in the fight against wildlife poaching and detection of trafficked ivory.

Picture: a dog trained to detect newts