They said that a dog is man’s best friend. And now, dogs are on the path to becoming conservationists’ best friends too. The Bay Journal recently reported on dogs using their strong sense of smell to discover rare and endangered flowers in the Chesapeake Bay area, specifically Fort Walker, Virginia.
“Detector dogs” like Encore were initially brought to the region through the National Detector Dog Training Center to help with invasive nutria that have harmed the Delmarva Peninsula since the 1940s. By 2018, the nutria were completely eradicated in the region, and the dogs’ handlers quickly realized that they could put their historically strong scent aptitude to further use.
Fast forward to 2022, and the dogs had a new mission in the area: seeking out an endangered orchid species.
Small whorled pogonia orchids, which primarily grow from Maine to Georgia, have been listed as an endangered species since 1982. They’re also difficult to spot as they’re green and blend in with its forest surroundings. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the main reasons for their endangerment are due to construction projects, deforestation, and wildlife predators.
Dog handlers Carl Dunnock and Carl Messick have been training dogs to find these rare orchids through a hybrid of classical conditioning and the placebo effect. They start by “placing glass vials in a room. Some held nothing while others held dried leaves from the flowers. Over time, the dogs learned to sit and bark once they found the leaves. This way, they wait to get their favorite toy and won’t accidentally trample the plant out of excitement. Then, the handlers tested whether the dogs could find the dried orchid leaves placed in tea bags outside.”
The detecting team consists of four good boys: Encore, Benny, Del, and Grand. A fifth, Bradie, used to be on the team but retired in 2022. All of them are labradors except Del, who is the only German Shorthaired Pointer to ever be included in the “detector dog” squad.
The results of their work (so far) have been astounding. The USDA reports that they’ve surveyed 1,200 miles and detected 457 pogonia orchids. The aim of the dogs and their handlers is to find as many orchids as they can before the 2027 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service orchid assessment.
Trevor Michaels, part of the USDA Maryland Detector Dog Program, noted that, “In terms of conservation and wildlife, there hasn’t been a large use, but I do believe we’re starting to see that change, and we’re starting to see more.”
He added: “[The dogs] have definitely shown that they can find them better than people.”
Carl Messick said, “It’s the greatest job ever. We get to hike in the woods with our dogs every day and help the environment and help science.”
And this story will not only have a happy ending for the endangered orchids, but the dogs doing all the heavy lifting (or in this case, sniffing). Encore, who is nearing retirement, will be adopted by his handler, Carl Dunnock. Dog: best friend to man, conservationists, and orchids.
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