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We successfully completed basic odor recognition t

We promised to post more about the human members o

We promised to post more about the human members of CDH. Today, we introduce Debra Gochros, CDH board member, dog handler, and all around amazing person. She's spearheading our new CRB pilot project on Kaua‘i (more info at end of post), and she'll also be conducting downed seabird surveys in Princeville this fall, along with other dog teams.
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ABOUT DEBRA
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Debra has lived on Kaua‘i since 1980, and spent many years as a middle school science teacher. She involved the students in conservation projects while teaching them the importance of protecting the native plants and animals of Hawaiʻi. She also spent a few years on O‘ahu in the early 90s studying at UH Mānoa, while working full time as a reptile keeper at the Honolulu Zoo.
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In 2003 Debra joined Kauaʻi K9 Search and Rescue and certified (SAR TECH II) with her dog Astro to become a wilderness search dog team. They helped in searches with missing hikers, families lost in a flood, and lost Alhzeimers patients. While Debra no longer participates in SAR with her dogs, she still volunteers behind the scenes for Kaua‘i SAR.
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We got to know Debra in 2017 when we worked on the avian botulism detector dog study at Hanalei Refuge. Debra volunteered as a visual searcher in our final detection trials and was so enthusiastic about the use of dogs for conservation. In 2020, when US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) established their K9 program, it was a no brainer to involve Debra. CDH helped train her dogs, Luna and Xena, to detect native wetland birds affected by botulism. To this day, Debra and her dogs make weekly visits to survey the taro fields in the refuge.
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CRB PILOT PROJECT
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As most of you have heard, the highly invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle has been detected on the island of Kaua‘i. Debra is spearheading our new CRB pilot project on Kaua‘i, starting with training her own dogs this fall, and hopefully training additional dog teams next year. This pilot project will be conducted with remote support from @crbhawaii and local partnership with @kauaiisc

Happy Terrier Tuesday! We are so honored to have p

Happy Terrier Tuesday! We are so honored to have puppy Pāua gifted to our dog handler Lisa Kamae by our friend Miriam Ritchie @nzconservationdogs - Miriam has raised, trained, and certified numerous rodent detection dogs for New Zealand’s Department of Conservation and she’s worked on some of the largest rodent eradication projects in the world. We plan to train Pāua to be our very first specialized rodent detection dog who will survey remote atolls and other locations that are being protected or restored for ground nesting birds and other vulnerable species.

Pāua is a fox terrier and border terrier cross, currently 4 months old, and she is named after a type of shellfish in Aotearoa. Pāua is thought to bring connectivity and harmony to relationships, and is also a symbol of change and transition, based on the way the shell reflects light.
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#ratter #rattersofinstagram #foxterrier #borderterrier #rodentdetectiondog #terriertuesday

Over the last year we've been working on building

Over the last year we've been working on building local capacity in order to meet the many conservation needs of the islands. As part of that effort, we've been teaching detection dog training skills and concepts to biologists, natural resource managers, and field techs, so that they may gain a better understanding of the K9 survey method, and hopefully go on to become dog handlers themselves.

For our Little Fire Ant pilot project, we've been fortunate to collaborate with @hawaii_ant_lab . In this video, HAL research manager Michelle Montgomery handles two different dogs, Peggy and Vern, on containers and an outdoor area; her colleague Kelli Bolger handles Phoebe in an indoor area. Big Island-based CDH team member Teri Rolph is a certified instructor through National Association of Canine Scent Work, and she's been coaching these dog teams on foundation skills such as long line handling and learning to read their dogs' scenting behaviors. We think with just a few months of training, these teams are kicking ass!
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#invasivespecies #littlefireants #wasmanniaauropunctata #detectiondogtraining

It's been a few weeks since the Maui wildfires and

It's been a few weeks since the Maui wildfires and it's been difficult to focus on anything else, with so many families and businesses needing long term help. We hope that highlighting the positive things that are happening in Hawai‘i and the Pacific will put a smile on your face in these challenging times.

We're so proud of the hard-working K9 teams at Guam Department of Agriculture, one of which recently detected an adult Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) on a vehicle that was part of outgoing cargo. The goal of their biosecurity program is to prevent pests from reaching other Pacific islands that do NOT have the ones that Guam does, such as CRB and LFA (Little Fire Ants). Three of the dogs in their biosecurity program were selected by us in Hawaii and shipped over to them. With the recent CRB detections on Kaua`i, we are reminded of the importance of early detection, and if possible, eradication.

The article about the Guam detector dog find:

https://tinyurl.com/Guambiosecurity

📸 Courtesy of @certography and Guam Dept of Agriculture @doag.biosec

You’ve probably heard the devastating news about

You’ve probably heard the devastating news about the wildfires on Maui and Lāhainā, which have displaced many residents. Our partner @thecoconuttraveler has set up this fundraiser for @mauiymca to assist the displaced and those with missing family members. If you’re not sure how to help those in Maui please consider this fundraiser (link above). Mahalo nui loa. 🙏

IF YOU WANT TO DIRECTLY HELP INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR HOMES IN THE FIRES, THIS IS THE BEST ACCOUNT TO FOLLOW:

@lahaina_ohana_venmo

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU MAY DONATE TO:

@peoplesfundofmaui
@hawaiicommunityfoundation
@mauihumanesociety
@americanredcross
@mauiunitedway

This past week we conducted seabird surveys at a n

This past week we conducted seabird surveys at a new (to us) location on the Big Island that’s located at sea level. Our past seabird surveys were on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, at 8-9000+ ft elevation where the temperatures were much cooler. At sea level in August (probably the hottest month of the year), we were up at 3:30am so we could arrive at the site at the crack of dawn. The off-roading to get there is quite rough, and felt like getting a hundred consecutive chiropractic adjustments 😆 but once we arrived and began our surveys at 5:30am, the ocean views and sunrise were quite beautiful! And of course it is all worthwhile in order to gather more data about the seabirds to help protect them.

Mahalo to @kasskass_44 of DOFAW NARS for her guidance in the field, her mad 4WD skills, and for this sunrise photo of Zephyr putting his protective booties on. Photo 2 shows a view from the summit of a pu`u.
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#seabirdconservation #hawaiianseabirds #blacklabsofinstagram #birddogsofinstagram #zephyrdasniffer

To train the dogs on Little Fire Ants, we’re usi

To train the dogs on Little Fire Ants, we’re using a variety of training aids: 1) filter papers scented with live ant odor, 2) live ants in escape-proof vessels, and 3) dead ants. To use dead ants, we collect them live first with these baited vials, consolidate them, then freeze them for 48 hours. Mahalo to our new Big Island team member Teri Rolph for your participation in this project!

#littlefireants #wasmanniaauropunctata #invasivespecies #invasiveinsects #detectiondogtraining

Training in preparation for biosecurity work has b

Training in preparation for biosecurity work has been rewarding and also challenging. We’re grateful to have the support of @workingdogsforconservation as well as a network of conservation agencies and trainers around the world. And a huge mahalo to all the ships that have hosted us for training. #biosecurity #rodentdetection #antdetection #invasivespecies #blacklabsofinstagram #malinoisofinstagram #terriersofinstagram #labradorsofinstagram

We went on an invasive plant survey today with Qan

We went on an invasive plant survey today with Qana and her foster dad. Detection dog surveys definitely require team work between dog and handler, whether the handler is supporting the dog in locating a target, or the dog is cheering on the handler while he records a find! 😄

#detectiondog #conservationdog #invasivespecies #invasiveplants #chromolaenaodorata #devilweed #malinoisofinstagram #willworkforfrisbee

A couple of our dogs were lucky enough to do a pho

A couple of our dogs were lucky enough to do a photo shoot with @holly_cook_photography while on vacation recently in the Pacific Northwest. We love this shot - it features an unusual non-nature background yet shows a sense of place through murals of resident species. On the right is a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Does anyone recognize the bird on the left? Photo 2 features the iconic Rainbow Bridge which crosses over the Swinomish Channel in Skagit County.
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Being in a new region gave us an opportunity to expose Zephyr and Guinness to all kinds of new wildlife that we don’t encounter in Hawai`i, including birds such as the Great Blue Heron. Bird avoidance is an important aspect of some of our dogs’ work, and that means generalizing to a variety of species, vocalizations and behaviors (flying, swimming, running).
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Holly Cook Photography has a Pacific Northwest Dog of the Year contest going on through August 1. Winner gets $500 donated to a charity of their choice. Our dogs are not a part of this but please support Holly and her awesome cause by voting at hollycookphotography.com PNW Dog of the Year page.
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#zephyrdasniffer #gmanflyingnun #dogphotography #petphotography #pacificnorthwest #nativespecies

We're stoked that a print of this image will be on

We're stoked that a print of this image will be on the walls of Patagonia's Hale‘iwa store soon! I'm sure many of you will agree that Patagonia is a great company that leads by example, including its sustainable practices and its support of environmental conservation initiatives. If you're on the North Shore of O‘ahu, go check out their store! 🦆 @patagonia_haleiwa

📸 by @tor.johnson.photography of Team Solo conducting an avian botulism survey at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. Handler Kyoko is wearing a Patagonia rain jacket. 😊

#wilddogofwaialua #yellowlabsofinstagram #avianbotulism

We interrupt our serious programming with the shen

We interrupt our serious programming with the shenanigans of our biosecurity team rat Junior and volunteer photographer @tor.johnson.photography 😄🐭 #rattail #rattails #rattailsofinstagram

Happy Aloha Friday from LFA detection team in trai

Happy Aloha Friday from LFA detection team in training, Julie and Ula! We thought this might be a good time to do a PSA to all O`ahu residents to please keep an eye out for Little Fire Ants. You may have seen some community posts recently about east side residents finding LFA in potted plants purchased from a Waimānalo nursery. Fortunately this resident used a test kit, discovered there were LFA in the plants and received guidance from @hawaii_ant_lab on how to handle the situation. While Hawaii Ant Lab and other agencies like @oahuisc do their best to keep invasive species under control, it’s imperative that the community also participates in these efforts and helps raise awareness. LFA would be devastating to our economy, agriculture, and the well-being of humans, as well as pets (they can go blind from repeated stings). Link is in our bio for how to check your property for LFA and how to request a free test kit. These ants are tiny and you may not notice them unless you get stung, which we can tell you is a truly horrible experience!

📸 Mahalo to Laura Chapman for the photo and to @oahudofaw for allowing us to train at your baseyard nursery 🙏

Do Xena and Sadie’s expressions capture the spir

Do Xena and Sadie’s expressions capture the spirit of Aloha Friday? 😄

Both dogs, with their handlers Debra and Karen, conduct surveys in Hanalei, Kaua`i to prevent or curb avian botulism outbreaks. With the summer heat and humidity, it’s important for the dogs to take regular breaks to stay cool and motivated.💦

Team Xena and Team Sadie are part of @usfws Hanalei NWR K9 program, which we developed in partnership with them, and with support from @fkwrkauai 🙏
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#avianbotulism #avianbotulismsurveys #conservationdogs #aussiesofinstagram #supermuttsofinstagram

Last year we had the pleasure of assisting Guam De

Last year we had the pleasure of assisting Guam Department of Agriculture by selecting working dog candidates and sharing detection dog training concepts and skills. Their initial goal was to train the dogs on Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB), which the dog teams have successfully accomplished at this point. Their next target species is Little Fire Ants (LFA), and we look forward to sharing training notes with them. CRB and LFA are both already established in Guam, and their biosecurity program aims to prevent those pests from reaching other Pacific islands where they're not yet established.
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📸 by Kaylene Certeza and courtesy of @doag.biosec - Team Elvis training on a scent rack with trainer Garrett observing

#invasivespecies #wasmanniaauropunctata #oryctesrhinoceros #invasiveinsects #biosecurity

Happy Father's (and Dog Dad's) Day! We've been sup

Happy Father's (and Dog Dad's) Day! We've been super busy the last several days doing biosecurity training with our visiting mentor Mark from @workingdogsforconservation and haven't had time to shoot or post any photos. So we wanted to share some relevant pics from Johnston Atoll where a couple of our dogs participated in a yellow crazy ant eradication project a few years ago. The invasive ants originally arrived at Johnston most likely by boat or plane and spread like wildfire on this small island that is home to several species of seabirds. Doing biosecurity work with dogs is serious business, and once we begin inspections, our goal is to not miss any targets, whether it's ants or rodents, because the consequences could be devastating.

Photos by @tor.johnson.photography

📸 1: The final Crazy Ant Strike Team (CAST) of a 10-yr YCA eradication project
📸 2: Koa‘e ‘ula or red-tailed tropicbirds were the most impacted by YCA because they nest on the ground
📸 3: M/V Imua, the boat that took the CAST crew to Johnston, and a boat on which we are currently doing biosecurity training
📸 4: Survey area at Johnston with ‘ā or red-footed boobies in the trees, Team Solo and K9 project lead Aisha

We recently started training dogs on Little Fire A

We recently started training dogs on Little Fire Ants (LFA), a highly invasive species that negatively impacts the environment, wildlife, people and even pet animals (they can be blinded from LFA stings!). There are many potential applications for LFA detection dogs, including:

🐾 Nursery and potted plant screening
🐾 Surveys at new construction sites and former infestation sites
🐾 Biosecurity inspections for boats and planes transporting cargo and crew to the remote islands

We started training with dead ant samples, and have gone on to assess the dogs with filter papers impregnated with live ant odor, then with live ants. The odor recognition has been excellent, and we look forward to training in new scenarios including cargo and vehicle screening.
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📸 by @tor.johnson.photography of Zephyr sniffing for LFA on a ship

#invasivespecies #invasiveinsects #littlefireants #wasmanniaauropunctata #biosecurity #hawaiiconservation #zephyrdasniffer

Wayback Wednesday - We originally started this IG

Wayback Wednesday - We originally started this IG account in 2017 to document our journey at Hanalei Wildlife Refuge during the avian botulism detector dog study. Our non-profit was established soon after, to facilitate the growth of conservation dog use in the islands. Kudos to the study PI Michelle Reynolds for believing in the importance of building local capacity to meet the needs of Hawai‘i. While the use of conservation dogs is still not widespread here, it's come a long way!
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📸 1: Handler Nini and K9 Solo, trainer Kyoko, bio-shadow Meaghan on a survey
📸 2: OG dogs Bodhi and Solo, with Nini and Kyoko
📸 3: PI Michelle with duck decoy (or part of!) and refuge biologist Kim Uyehara

All photos by @tor.johnson.photography

We’ve been exploring the use of dogs for this hi

We’ve been exploring the use of dogs for this highly invasive ant species for several months and we’ve finally started training some dogs for a pilot project. We had explored coqui frogs as a target last year but had to put it on hold for logistical reasons. We hope to add that target again after we get our LFA project going as coqui is another important target to prevent from spreading in the Hawaiian islands. #invasivespecies #invasiveants #littlefireant #LFA #conservationdog #workingdog #labradorsofinstagram

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