This is an exciting program to work on, below is Mr.James M. Shields PhD explaining his aims on the program, if you can help in any way please contact Mr. Shields. I hope to have operational Koala detection dogs in the region in early 2011.
There is a large and growing body of work showing that dogs can be useful for locating rare or cryptic wildlife. In Southeast NSW, the koala is rare and hard to find – which makes it difficult to protect and conserve them. Using dogs, we can locate koala scent trails which are quite extensive due to the need for koalas to move between feed trees.*
I would like to use my knowledge of forest fauna – acquired over 32 years of research and wildlife management in the southeast forests of NSW – to develop detection dogs into a useful tool for conservation. I tested the koala-dog concept as a wildlife manager in Eden. A trial to use dogs for survey work was carried out from 1996 to 1998 by ForestsNSW. Although the dogs showed some aptitude for finding koala scats, the trial did not proceed to the field level and was never repeated. When I contacted Gary Jackson and Multi National K9 Kennels, he remembered the first trial, and volunteered to help immediately if it was for conservation! Not only did he remember the program, he remembered the trainer – who called him for advice – AND the name and breed of the dog involved (Milo, Germans Shorthair).
Since my retirement from ForestsNSW in 2008, I have acquired a dog and proceeded with a training program based on my experience as a dog handler. I learned obedience, field and show training where I grew up, in Reading Kansas USA. Back then dogs, known as (rac)coon hounds, were used there to “tree” raccoons, which are similar to koalas in that they move about on the ground, but usually live in trees. Since then dogs have been used to find lynx in Canada, bats in the Middle East and now Quolls in north Queensland. Why not here for koalas, quolls, and wildlife threats like the feral cat? … … …
My first efforts at training my ¾ Lab ¼ Border Collie Oscar have been rewarding – he is trained for field work and obedience, and can locate objects on command. The next step will be professional level training as a detection dog – I have told Oscar he will be going to Queensland University with Professor Jackson soon.
There are other species in southeast NSW which are or may be rare, but which are currently difficult to survey. These include the Spotted-tail Quoll, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Long-footed Potoroo and Smokey Mouse.
Successful management also looks at threats to wildlife, as Gary and Multinational kennels have done with the cane toad and the red slider in Queensland. In southeast NSW, we have organised and run eradication programs for introduced species, particularly the Indian Myna, which has yet to establish a population in the Bega Valley Shire – we are the only local government area on the coast between Port Douglas and Melbourne which does NOT have this pest species. Detection dogs could be useful for locating roosts and nests.
Feral cats have been implicated in the decline and low population numbers of the Smokey Mouse. Cat eradication at key sites could be enhanced through the use of dogs.
It would be wonderful to establish a program where detection dogs can be used to help threatened species here. With a little professional help, we may be on our way by 2011. If you are interested in helping or participating, please contact us – Oscar is also looking for an appropriate mate (or so he tells me). Thanks for your interest, Jim Shields
James M. Shields PhD
Local Environmental Solutions
7 High Crescent
Tura Beach NSW
Australia +61 (0)2 6495 0165 Mobile 0417 732 071 Fax (0)26495 0269
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