Dogs Trained to Find Endangered Animals
Many dogs are very hard - working animals. They have been helping people for thousands of years. Dogs protect our homes. They help people with disabilities. They team up with rescue workers in search -and - rescue operations. And now, dogs can add another job to their resumes—finding endangered animals! The official title for this kind of work is conservation detection dog.
Luke Edwards is a dog owner and trainer. He is training two border collies (边境牧羊犬), named Rubble and Uda, to become conservation detection dogs.
He says that border collies are good for this kind of work because they have a great, sense of smell. The dogs also have great stamina—the mental and physical strength to work long hours.
Recently, the dogs went on their most difficult job yet - finding the Baw Baw frog. This frog is one of Australia's most endangered animals.
The work is difficult mainly because of the search area. Just to get to the place where the frogs live. the dogs and their trainers must walk far distances through alpine (高山) forests. It is difficult but important work.
A deadly fungus (真菌) has killed nearly all of Australia's Baw Baw frogs. In fact, scientists say these creatures could disappear in the next five to ten years.
Zoos Victoria is a group set up to protect wildlife. Conservation experts there claim that since 1980 the deadly fungus has killed off 98 percent of the Baw Baw frogs.
So. Zoos Victoria is trying to save the frogs. Experts there raise them and have them reproduce. They call it their captive breeding program.
