Conservation detection dogs sniff out rare curlew nests - British Ecological Society

Conservation detection dogs are nearly twice as likely as humans to find curlew nests according to new research conducted by researchers in Northern Ireland. The researchers presented these preliminary findings at the British Ecological Society Annual Meeting in Belfast.

Once an iconic native bird ubiquitous to the Irish landscape, Europe’s largest wading bird, the curlew, is now threatened with extinction and disappearing from the Irish countryside. Over the last 40 years, the number of breeding curlew has decreased by 97% in Ireland and 82% in Northern Ireland. However new research conducted by Conservation Detection Dogs Northern Ireland, Queens University Belfast, and Erne Environmental Consultancy suggests the use of conservation detection dogs to find and identify curlew nests could be a pivotal turning point for curlew conservation.

In a trial pitting the abilities of humans against dogs to find curlew nests, the researchers found that Ziba (the conservation detection dog) and her handler found over 93% of nests, while human searchers only found 43.8% of nests on average.

As ground-nesting birds, curlews are vulnerable to predation. A key aspect of curlew conservation is ring-fencing identified nests, meaning quickly locating these nests is crucially important for the success of the species. It is hoped that if more nests can be quickly found and fenced, then more curlew chicks will survive and fledge.