Python-sniffing dogs are Florida's newest weapon in fighting invasive snakes

MSN ^ | 12/16

[nickcarraway]

For decades, pythons have been identified as one of the biggest and most concerning invasive species in Florida, having drastically impacted the populations of a number of native species and permanently altering the ecosystem since they were first introduced into the wild.

a group of people riding on the back of a man: Truman the black Labrador & Eleanor the point setter spent over a month learning to search for pythons using scent signals and how to alert their handlers when they find a python, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.© Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Truman the black Labrador & Eleanor the point setter spent over a month learning to search for pythons using scent signals and how to alert their handlers when they find a python, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. But now, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have a new weapon in controlling the population of these threats to natural wildlife in the region -- Truman the black Labrador and Eleanor the point setter.

Truman and Eleanor are the two biggest stars of the FWC’s new Detector Dog Team. Their task? Hunting down and helping their handler’s remove Burmese pythons from the wild.

a man holding a fish: Truman the black Labrador & Eleanor the point setter spent over a month learning to search for pythons using scent signals and how to alert their handlers when they find a python, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.© Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Truman the black Labrador & Eleanor the point setter spent over a month learning to search for pythons using scent signals and how to alert their handlers when they find a python, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

[mad_as_he$$]

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