Sniffing Out Better Tools for Addressing Avian Botulism
Dogs have great olfactory abilities and wildlife biologists think they can help endangered waterbirds in Hawai‘i. Dogs are being trained to sniff out the endangered ducks (koloa maoli (Anas wyvilliana) and Laysan ducks (A. laysanensis)) that die of avian botulism.
In the wetlands of Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge and elsewhere, avian botulism is fatal and is caused by food poisoning from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum (strain C). Avian botulism can spread from bird to bird quickly if carcasses remain in areas used by waterbirds. Hundreds of endangered waterbirds die every year from feeding in the infected wetlands. For years managers have worked to remove carcasses from wetland habitats but some carcasses go undetected because they are hidden under taro and other wetland plants. USGS researchers in Hawaii are evaluating the potential of using trained detector dogs as a tool to detect carcasses and allow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to respond more quickly to outbreaks of avian botulism and save the lives of the birds. Early detection of carcasses could help contain the spread of the waterbird toxin by allowing for rapid removal of dead birds and help pin point areas for water management.
The pilot project is a partnership between USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center and USFWS. Trained handlers and scent-detection dogs will be operating on the refuge from November 2017 through March 2018. Researchers and managers will collect data to test the efficacy and efficiency of trained canines compared with humans conducting avian botulism surveillance at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge.
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Efficacy of Avian Botulism Surveillance and Mitigation Using Detection Canines
Avian botulism causes waterbird mortality in Hawai‘i's wetlands and elsewhere. We will evaluate using trained scent-detection canines (sniffer dogs) as a new tool to survey for the presence of avian botulism. Biologists will compare variables influencing detection probability and detection rates with traditional search methods. The pilot study will test the feasibility of this approach as a new... - Partners
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