Title
Wildlife detection dogs: lessons learned and future potential in tropical Asia
Author(s)
O'Kelly, H.;Parker, M.
Published
2015
Publisher
Cambodian Journal of Natural History
Abstract
Due to their extremely powerful sense of smell, trained wildlife detection dogs can greatly increase the efficiency of field surveys in a range of contexts. Dogs can search large areas and difficult terrain more easily than human search teams and detect targets (i.e. animals or animal signs) that human observers may miss, thereby potentially alleviating sources of bias. Detection dogs can be used to rapidly and reliably establish species presence in certain scenarios and increase detection rates and therefore sample sizes. However, training and handling of such dogs is a specialised skill and the logistical and financial costs associated with deploying canine survey teams can be high compared to, for example, employing local field assistants. Nevertheless, there is ongoing interest in this method, and it is particularly appealing where rare and cryptic species are concerned and where acquiring an adequate samples size continues to be a challenge. We fi rst present several short case studies from Southeast Asia where detection dogs have been used in a limited way and with mixed success in terms of results. We then contrast this with a number of studies from other areas that demonstrate just how effective dogs can be in the right circumstances. We use these examples to formulate some general guidelines on when the use of detection dogs might be warranted and key factors that must be taken into account when considering this approach.
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PUB15647