Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment

by Isabelle Groc, Anjelica Huston (Foreword by)

Overview

★“Robust and engaging...Sure to be a hit with both children writing reports and those who enjoy books about animal companions and adventurous work. A must for school and public libraries.”—Booklist, starred review

With their precise sense of smell, their hardworking temperament and their ability to bond with humans, dogs increasingly lend their paws and noses to fixing some of the most complex environmental problems on the planet. What kinds of dogs does it take to help wildlife? What kind of training do they go through? Who are the people who work with these special dogs? What do those people do and what difference do they make for wildlife?

In Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment, author Isabelle Groc shares stories of dog encounters in the field and examples of canines working to conserve wildlife. Meet brave Anatolian shepherd dogs protecting farmers' livestock against cheetah attacks and Maremma dogs guarding penguins from foxes. Learn how rescue dogs sniff out orca poop in the ocean and how highly focused canines can detect rare frogs hiding in wetland tunnels. The story of these conservation canines celebrates the profound and ancestral human–animal bond and gives hope and inspiration for finding new ways for people to successfully co-exist with wildlife.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459821606
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	09/14/2021
Series:	Orca Wild , #7
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)
Lexile:	1260L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Isabelle Groc is a writer, wildlife photographer and filmmaker who specializes in wildlife conservation, endangered species and the relationships between people and wildlife in a rapidly changing world. With degrees in journalism from Columbia University and urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she brings a unique perspective to documenting the impacts of human activities on threatened species and habitats. She is the author of Gone is Gone: Wildlife Under Threat and Sea Otters: A Survival Story in the Orca Wild series. Born in the South of France, with family roots in Spain, Isabelle now lives in Vancouver.

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Introduction 1

1 A Brief History of the Working Dog

From Wolf to Dog 6

The First Working Dogs 8

A Nose at Work 11

What Dogs See and Hear 14

2 Wildlife Guardians and Peacemakers

Living With Predators 17

A Special Friendship 22

Guardian Dogs at Work 24

Does Using Livestock Guardian Dogs Work? 32

Wildlife Guardians 36

3 A Nose for Conservation

Graduation Day 45

A Nose for Data 48

Last Chance for Unwanted Canines 51

Learning to Be a Conservation Canine 53

A Unique Bond 57

4 Top Dogs Saving the Wild

Searching for the Never-Seen Ermine 65

Poop-Hidden Treasure for Scientists 70

Sniffing Out Invasive Species 81

A Nose for Poison 89

Dogs against Wildlife Trafficking 93

5 Dogs and Humans: Partners in Conservation

What You Can Do to Help Conservation Canines 103

Connecting with Dogs in Your Community 107

Glossary 114

Resources 116

Acknowledgments 117

Index 118

What People are Saying About This

Dr. Laurie Marker

“This book is a charmer, a must for people who love dogs and want to know how they impact our world. From detecting cheetah scat and guarding livestock in southern Africa, to protecting penguins in Australia and locating pods of orcas in the Pacific Northwest, to helping authorities identify shipments of illegally traded wildlife, the stories told in Conservation Canines demonstrate the breadth of intelligence inherent in the species across its many breeds. The beautiful photos stand as proof: these dogs are passionate about their work, and so are the people guiding them. A terrific testament to our amazing animal partners in conservation!”

Richard Louv

“One theory is that our ancestors domesticated wolves and over time they became dogs. Another case can be made that wolves domesticated us. Certainly, they bring out the best in most of us, and through their work with conservationists, may one day help save us. An elegant and beautifully written book of wonder. Isabelle Groc offers us an unexpected view of dogs, helping us appreciate them even more than we already do.”

Editorial Reviews

Dogs' legendary noses are works of art, and the stories in this well-illustrated book will surely encourage children to look at the dogs in their own lives differently, with renewed curiosity and compassion. This is a win-win for all involved.

Marc Bekoff

Will engage and inform. It is filled with interesting facts about the roles dogs play around the world in supporting our efforts to leave the planet a better place for future generations. Highly Recommended.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

A beautiful book, filled with stunning images, on how our best friends are working to make the world a better place. Conservation Canines takes us from British Columbia to Namibia, following the work these incredible dogs and their human handlers are doing to guard some of our planet’s remaining wildlife. A joy to read for both children and adults.

Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods

Page after page of exceptional research along with interesting anecdotes and true stories...This book is invaluable for any library looking to update and amplify its collection about dogs. The pages feature exceptional photography from the author set alongside information which will inspire and ignite readers' interest in dogs, wildlife, and the environment.

School Library Connection

★“Nonfiction for this age group frequently highlights working animals, but it doesn’t often focus on their conservation assistance, nor is it as comprehensively detailed as this robust and engaging title. Sure to be a hit with both children writing reports and those who enjoy books about animal companions and adventurous work. A must for school and public libraries.”

starred review Booklist

One theory is that our ancestors domesticated wolves and over time they became dogs. Another case can be made that wolves domesticated us. Certainly, they bring out the best in most of us, and through their work with conservationists, may one day help save us. An elegant and beautifully written book of wonder. Isabelle Groc offers us an unexpected view of dogs, helping us appreciate them even more than we already do.

Richard Louv

This book is a charmer, a must for people who love dogs and want to know how they impact our world. From detecting cheetah scat and guarding livestock in southern Africa, to protecting penguins in Australia and locating pods of orcas in the Pacific Northwest, to helping authorities identify shipments of illegally traded wildlife, the stories told in Conservation Canines demonstrate the breadth of intelligence inherent in the species across its many breeds. The beautiful photos stand as proof: these dogs are passionate about their work, and so are the people guiding them. A terrific testament to our amazing animal partners in conservation!

Dr. Laurie Marker

2021-07-27
Around the world, specially trained dogs are working with handlers to improve the environment.

In some places dogs sniff out illegal animal products such as ivory, pelts, and horns, both at poaching sites and in distant places where the contraband is shipped. Dogs are being used to discover invasive species like zebra mussels, preventing expensive, hard-to-manage infestations. Rare and endangered animals can be tracked through the discovery of their scat. Dogs are perfect for these jobs, with a success rate that far exceeds that of human conservationists. Guard dogs protect domesticated animals from reintroduced predators like bears and wolves, reducing farmers’ urge to destroy these vulnerable populations. They’re also employed to find poisoned bait that farmers have deployed. Perhaps the most unusual use is that of dogs on boats that seek out the floating scat of nonmigratory orcas off the coast of Washington. The scat provides detailed information on the status of environmental threats to the endangered whales. Numerous color photographs accompany the detailed text. Text boxes offer additional information. Unfortunately, both those and photograph captions are presented in very small print. Readers might also wish for more photographs of the rarely seen animals such as pangolin and quoll. The final chapter includes ways readers can help in the field, although some may be unrealistic for the young audience. Anjelica Houston contributes a foreword.

A well-researched and balanced presentation on a pertinent, high-interest topic. (glossary, resources, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews