in Australia, detection dogs are koalas’ best friend

We use detection dogs to find koala habitats, so we can ensure koalas live in safe places.

Problem

Across Australia, koalas’ homes are under threat. Development, land clearing, and deforestation disrupt the lives of these animals and bring threats of road strike, animal attack, and disease.

We needed to get a better sense of how bad things were. But we didn’t even know exactly where the koalas lived.

Solution

First, we partnered with the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland to research local koala populations. And then we brought in the dogs.

A dog’s sense of smell is up to 100,000 times stronger than that of humans. We train formerly-sheltered, highly-active dogs—who may otherwise never be adopted—to sniff out koala scat and fur.

By locating the scat, and in some cases the koalas themselves, we can collect data about the genetics and health of the local koala population. We can also use this data to protect individual animals and conserve ecosystems.

Wanted: New recruit for koala-saving canine crew

We're looking for a new dog to join our team.

For more information, click here.