The success of using trained dogs to locate sparse rodents in pest-free sanctuaries

Wildlife Research

Volumn 37, Issue 1, 2010, Pages 39-46

  Gsell, Anna ^a   Innes, John ^b   De Monchy, Pim ^c   Brunton, Dianne ^a  

^a MASSEY UNIVERSITY   (New Zealand)

^b LANDCARE RESEARCH   (New Zealand)

^c Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust   (New Zealand)

Author keywords

Canine scent detection; Conservation; Invasive pests; Olfaction; Pest management; Rodents; Wildlife detecting dogs.

Indexed keywords

CANID; CHEMICAL CUE; DETECTION METHOD; EXPERIMENTAL STUDY; INVASIVE SPECIES; PEST SPECIES; POPULATION REGULATION; PROTECTED AREA; RESTORATION ECOLOGY; RODENT;

CANIS FAMILIARIS; MAMMALIA; MUS; MUS MUSCULUS; RATTUS; RATTUS NORVEGICUS; RODENTIA;

EID: 77649301178     PISSN: 10353712     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1071/WR09117     Document Type: Article

References (58)

1. Armitage, P., Berry, G., and Matthews, J. N. S. (2001). 'Statistical Methods in Medical Research.' (Blackwell: Oxford.)
2. Atkinson, I. A. E. (1985). The spread of commensal species of Rattus to oceanic islands and their effect on island avifaunas. In 'Conservation of Island Birds'. (Ed. P. J. Moors.) pp. 35-81. (International Council for Bird Preservation: Cambridge.)
3. Ballance, A. (2007). 'Don Merton: The Man Who Saved the Black Robin.' (Reed Books: Auckland.)
4. Bekoff, M. (1979). Scent-marking by free-ranging domestic dogs - olfactory and visual components. Biology of Behaviour 4, 123-139.
5. Bekoff, M. (1980). Accuracy of scent-mark identification for free-ranging dogs. Journal of Mammalogy 61, 150. doi:10.2307/1379976
6. Bekoff, M. (2001). Observations of scent-marking and discriminating self from others by a domestic dog (Canis familiaris): tales of displaced yellow snow. Behavioural Processes 55, 75-79. doi:10.1016/S0376- 6357(01)00142-5
7. Brown, J. (2005). Sniffing with precision. Detection dogs push the limits of field-monitoring techniques. Conservation in Practice 6, 94-95. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4629.2005.tb00171.x
8. Brown, K. P., Moller, H., Innes, J., and Alterio, N. (1996). Calibration of tunnel tracking rates to estimate relative abundance of ship rats (Rattus rattus) and mice (Mus musculus) in a New Zealand forest. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 20, 271-275.
9. Butler, D. J. (1989). 'Quest for the Kakapo.' (Heinemann Reed: Auckland.)
10. Cablk, M. E., and Heaton, J. S. (2006). Accuracy and reliability of dogs in surveying for desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Ecological Applications 16, 1926-1935. doi:10.1890/1051-0761(2006)016[1926: AARODI]2.0.CO;2
11. Cablk, M.E., Sagebiel, J.C., Heaton, J.S., and Valentin, C. (2008). Olfaction-based detection distance: a quantitative analysis of how far away dogs recognize tortoise odor and follow it to source. Sensors 8, 2208-2222. doi:10.3390/s8042208
12. Clavero, M., Brotons, L., Pons, P., and Sol, D. (2009). Prominent role of invasive species in avian biodiversity loss. Biological Conservation 142, 2043-2049. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2009.03.034
13. Clout, M. N., and Russell, J. C. (2006). The eradication of mammals from New Zealand Islands. In 'Assessment and Control of Biological Invasion Risks'. (Eds F. Koike, M. N. Clout, M. Kawamichi, M. De Poorter and K. Iwatsuki.) pp. 127-141. (IUCN: Gland, Switzerland.)
14. Colbourne, R. (1992). Little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii) - recruitment and behaviour of juveniles on Kapiti Island, New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 22, 321-328.
15. Connolly, A.T. (2009). Estimating the potential for reinvasion by mammalian pests through pest exclusion fencing. Wildlife Research 36, 410-421. doi:10.1071/WR09021
16. Conover, M. R. (2007). 'Predator-Prey Dynamics: The Role of Olfaction'. (CRC Press: London.)
17. Cowan, P. E. (1992). The eradication of introduced Australian brushtail possums, Trichosurus vulpecula, from Kapiti Island, a New Zealand nature reserve. Biological Conservation 61, 217-226. doi:10.1016/0006- 3207(92)91119-D
18. Day, T., and MacGibbon, R. (2007). Multiple-species exclusion fencing and technology for mainland sites. In 'Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species: Proceedings of an International Symposium'. (Eds G. W. Witmer, W. C. Pitt and K. A. Fagerstone.) pp. 418-433. (USDA/APHIS/WS, National Wildlife Research Center: Fort Collins, CO.)
19. Dowding, J. E., and Murphy, E.C. (1994). Ecologyofship rats (Rattus rattus) in a kauri (Agathis australis) forest in Northland, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 18, 19-28.
20. Fishman, G. A. (2003). When Your Eyes Have a Wet Nose: the evolution of the use of guide dogs and establishing the seeing eye. Survey of Ophthalmology 48, 452-458. doi:10.1016/S0039-6257(03) 00052-3
21. Galef, B. G., and Buckley, L. L. (1996). Use of foraging trails byNorway rats. Animal Behaviour 51, 765-771. doi:10.1006/anbe.1996.0081
22. Harrison, R. L. (2006). A comparison of survey methods for detecting bobcats. Wildlife Society Bulletin 34, 548-552. doi:10.2193/0091-7648 (2006)34[548:ACOSMF]2.0.CO;2
23. Heaton, J. S., Cablk, M. E., Nussear, K. E., Esque, T. C., Medica, P. A., Sagebiel, J. C., and Francis, S. S. (2008). Comparison of effects of humans versus wildlife-detector dogs. The Southwestern Naturalist 53, 472-479. doi:10.1894/PAS-03.1
24. Hepper, P. G., and Wells, D. L. (2005). How many footsteps do dogs need to determine the direction of an odour trail? Chemical Senses 30, 291-298. doi:10.1093/chemse/bji023
25. Hill, S., and Hill, J. (1987). 'Richard Henry of Resolution Island.' (John McIndoe in association with the New Zealand Wildlife Service: Dunedin.)
26. Hooker, S., and Innes, J. (1995). Ranging behaviour of forest-dwelling ship rats, Rattus rattus, and effects of poisoning with brodifacoum. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 22, 291-304.
27. Innes, J. (2005). Ship rat. In 'The Handbook of New Zealand Mammals'. (Ed. C. M. King.) pp. 187-203. (Oxford University Press: Melbourne.)
28. Innes, J., Warburton, B., Williams, D., Speed, H., and Bradfield, P. (1995). Large-scale poisoning of ship rats (Rattus rattus) in indigenous forests of the North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 19, 5-17.
29. Johnson, G. R. (1977). 'Tracking Dog: Theory and Method.' (Arner Publications: Westmoreland, NY.)
30. Jones, H. P., Tershy, B. R., Zavaleta, E. S., Croll, D. A., Keitt, B.S., Finkelstein, M. E., and Howald, G. R. (2008). Severity of the effects of invasive rats on seabirds: a global review. Conservation Biology 22, 16-26. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2007.00859.x
31. King, C. M. (2005). 'The Handbook of New Zealand Mammals.' 2nd edn. (Oxford University Press: Auckland.)
32. Lavenex, P., and Schenk, F. (1998). Olfactory traces and spatial learning in rats. Animal Behaviour 56, 1129-1136. doi:10.1006/anbe.1998. 0873
33. MacKay, P., Smith, D. A., Long, R. A., and Parker, M. (2008). Scat detection dogs. In 'Noninvasive Survey Methods for Carnivores'. (Eds R. Long, P. Mackay, W. Zielinski and J. Ray.) pp. 183-222. (Island Press: Washington, DC.)
34. McCulloch, M., Jezierski, T., Broffman, M., Hubbard, A., Turner, K., and Janecki, T. (2006). Diagnostic accuracy ofcanine scent detectioninearly-and late-stage lung and breast cancers. Integrative Cancer Therapies 5, 30-39. doi:10.1177/1534735405285096
35. McLennan, J. A., and Potter, M. A. (1992). Distribution, population changes and management of brown kiwi in Hawkes Bay. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 16, 91-102.
36. Murphy, J.A. (1995). Assessment of the temperament of potential guide dogs. Anthrozoos 8, 224-228. doi:10.2752/089279395787156536
37. Pal, S. K. (2003). Urine marking by free-ranging dogs (Canis familiaris) in relation to sex, season, place and posture. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 80, 45-59. doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(02)00178-8
38. Phelan, J. M., and Barnett, J. L. (2002). Chemical sensing thresholds for mine detection dogs. Proceedings of the Society for Photo-Instrumentation Engineers 4742, 532-543.
39. Reindl-Thompson, S. A., Shivik, J. A., Whitelaw, A., Hurt, A., and Higgins, K. F. (2006). Efficacy of scent dogs in detecting black-footed ferrets at a reintroduction site in South Dakota. Wildlife Society Bulletin 34, 1435-1439. doi:10.2193/0091-7648(2006)34[1435: EOSDID]2.0.CO;2
40. Rolland, R. M., Hamilton, P. K., Kraus, S. D., Davenport, B., Gillett, R. M., and Wasser, S. K. (2006). Faecal sampling using detection dogs to study reproduction and health in North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). The Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 8, 121-125.
41. Ruscoe, W.A., and Murphy, E.C. (2005). House mouse. In 'The Handbook of New Zealand Mammals'. (Ed. C. M. King.) pp. 204-221. (Oxford University Press: Auckland.)
42. Russell, J. C., Towns, D. R., Anderson, S. H., and Clout, M. N. (2005). Intercepting the first rat ashore. Nature 437, 1107. doi:10.1038/4371107a
43. Russell, J. C., Beaven, B. M., MacKay, J. W. B., Towns, D. R., and Clout, M.N. (2008). Testing island biosecurity systems for invasive rats. Wildlife Research 35, 215-221. doi:10.1071/WR07032
44. Schoon, G. A. A. (2005). The effect of the ageing of crime scene objects on the results of scent identification line-ups using trained dogs. Forensic Science International 147, 43-47. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.04.080
45. Shivik, J. A. (2002). Odor-adsorptive clothing, environmental factors, and search-dog ability. Wildlife Society Bulletin 30, 721-727.
46. Slabbert, J. M., and Odendaal, J. S. J. (1999). Early prediction of adult police dog efficiency - a longitudinal study. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 64, 269-288. doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(99)00038-6
47. Slotta-Bachmayr, L. (2005). How burial time of avalanche victims is influenced by rescue method: An analysis of search reports from the Alps. Natural Hazards 34, 341-352. doi:10.1007/s11069-004-3421-x
48. Smith, D. A., Ralls, K., Davenport, B., Adams, B., and Maldonado, J. E. (2001). Canine assistants for conservationists. Science 291, 435. doi:10.1126/science.291.5503.435B
49. Smith, D. A., Ralls, K., Hurt, A., Adams, B., Parker, M., Davenport, B., Smith, M. C., and Maldonado, J. E. (2003). Detection and accuracy rates of dogs trained to find scats of San Joaquin kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica). Animal Conservation 6, 339-346. doi:10.1017/S136794300300341X
50. Speedy, C., Day, T., and Innes, J. (2007). Pest eradication technology - the critical partner to pest exclusion technology: the Maungatautari experience. In 'Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species: Proceedings of an International Symposium'. (Eds G. W. Witmer, W. C. Pitt and K. A. Fagerstone.) pp. 115-126. (USDA/APHIS/WS, National Wildlife Research Center: Fort Collins, CO.)
51. Syrotuck, W. G. (1972). 'Scent and the Scenting Dog.' (Arner Publications: New York, NY.)
52. Theobald, S.W., and Cheyne, J. (2006). 'Predator Dog Best Practice Manual.' (Department of Conservation: Wellington.)
53. Thorsen, M., Shorten, R., Lucking, R., and Lucking, V. (2000). Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) on Fregate Island, Seychelles: the invasion; subsequent eradication attempts and implications for the island's fauna. Biological Conservation 96, 133-138. doi:10.1016/S0006-3207 (00)00059-8
54. Towns, D. R., Atkinson, I. A. E., and Daugherty, C. H. (2006). Have the harmful effects of in troduced ratsonislands been exaggerated? Biological Invasions 8, 863-891. doi:10.1007/s10530-005-0421-z
55. Tschirky, F., Brabec, B., and Kern, M. (2001). Avalanche rescue systems in Switzerland: experience and limitations. In 'Proceedings of the International Snow Science Workshop, 1-6 October 2000, Big Sky, MT'. pp. 369-376. (American Avalanche Association: Bozeman, MT.)
56. Wallace, D. G., Gorny, G., and Whishaw, I. Q. (2002). Rats can track odors, other rats, and themselves: Implications for the study of spatial behavior. Behavioural Brain Research 131, 185-192. doi:10.1016/S0166-4328 (01)00384-9
57. Wirant, S. C., and McGuire, B. (2004). Urinary behavior of female domestic dogs (Canis familiaris): influence of reproductive status, location, and age. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 85, 335-348. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2003.09.012
58. Zwickel, F. C. (1980). Use of dogs in wildlife biology. In 'Wildlife Management Techniques Manual'. (Ed. S. D. Schemnitz.) pp. 531-536. (The Wildlife Society: Washington, DC.)