Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment
Ayla an Anatolian shepherd is one of Anjelica Huston’s three dogs BLAKE BASHOFF
FOREWORD I have loved dogs for as long as I can remember and was lucky to have grown up with a great variety of canine friends There was my father’s regal Irish wolfhound Seamus who stood at seven feet on his hind paws and actually allowed my brother and me to ride him as children Moses a beautiful golden sheepdog we rescued from drowning in a river as a tiny puppy My brother’s Llewellin setter with the sad eyes a hunting dog named Flash who followed him devotedly through bogs and marshes in the west of Ireland And there was my puppy Mindy a miniature poodle the first dog I could call my own She was my sole responsibility and the love of my life Dogs were my teachers They taught me about love and loyalty faithfulness and patience and most of all true unconditional friendship I have always had dogs in my life and I rate their fellowship as highly as I would any human relationship Currently I am the proud owner of three beautiful dogs a little mutt of fourteen called Pootie a fox terrier named Oscar whom I inherited from a dear friend and Ayla a magnificent Anatolian shepherd who is the livestock guardian at my farm and guardian of her herd of Toggenburg goats I am so happy that Conservation Canines How Dogs Work for the Environment show cases not just what dogs do for us as people but also what they do for our planet With their keen noses and highly developed senses dogs are working with conservationists more and more to help collect information that assists with wildlife wildlife protection from finding endangered animals and plants to locating unwanted or harmful species to helping reduce human wildlife conflict With bold colorful photographs by author Isabelle Groc that match the stories of the canine heroes we meet throughout the book this amazing resource is suitable suitable for children and adults alike to teach us about dog conservationists The stories of these conservation canines celebrate the profound and ancestral human animal bond and give hope and inspiration to us all for finding new ways for people to coexist with wildlife and protect the natural world There is much to learn and with the help of our four-legged friends far more to achieve Anjelica Huston Actor and Author vii
Australian cattle dog Alli is looking for the elusive Oregon spotted frog in a wetland of British Columbia working alongside her human partner Heath Smith Alli used to be a drug-detection dog before taking on her job in conservation It was love at first sight Smith says of his first meeting with her
INTRODUCTION Alli moved swiftly over the spongy earth cutting a sharp path through the knee high grass of a wetland in the Fraser Valley a couple of hours drive from Vancouver British Columbia Behind her Monica Pearson a conservation biologist and Heath Smith Alli’s trainer followed in hot pursuit But Alli paid them no mind Ears pricked and nose to the ground the energetic Australian cattle dog was on a mission Just as she approached the edge of a nearby pond Alli stopped suddenly and lay down She looked over at Smith fixing him with a gaze that radiated both intensity and expectation Smith and Pearson approached the dog and Smith knelt down and started digging through the grass Within a few seconds he uncovered what had made Alli stop a small frog with golden eyes Yeah Pearson exclaimed turning to Alli Good girl Mission accomplished Smith reached into his pocket pulled out a ball and rewarded Alli with a spirited game of fetch Pearson meanwhile focused on the frog measuring its body length checking its weight and attaching a small transmitter transmitter belt This was no ordinary frog It was an Oregon spotted frog Rana pretiosa or precious frog one of Canada’s most endangered amphibians and one of the most difficult to find In Canada the Oregon spotted frog is found only in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley Just 400 to 700 frogs are left distributed in six isolated populations Their numbers have declined by as much as 90 percent mostly because of the loss of their wetland habitat to agriculture and urban development Understanding where the frogs live is critical to their long-term survival When new populations are discovered wildlife managers can take steps to protect the habitat and reduce threats 11
