Conservation Detection Dogs...in Michigan!

We know the power of a dog's nose, right? Did you know that one of the ways that power is

being channeled is to help scientists find endangered and invasive species of plants and animals. AND there are some right here in Michigan!

Some of you may have seen or heard that I'm training the Wildlings for Conservation Detection, with Spotted Lantern Fly as the first species. While the Spotted Lantern Flies have been in the USA for about a decade, they've largely been contained to Pennsylvania and slowly creeping out. There have been several infestations reported in northern Ohio and very southern Michigan, so it won't be long before they begin to travel north. Current predictions have them arriving in the Ann Arbor area in the next 6-12 months!

Spotted Lantern Flies are an overall nuisance! They do, however, pose a threat to our Michigan fruits and berries, so there are many reasons to offer detection services: dogs can be so much faster than humans at finding The Things. Interested in learning more or maybe you have a super sniffer and want to take a Conservation Detection class? Let us know.

What should you do if you see Spotted Lantern Flies? Report them!

Are there other Conservation Detection dogs working in Michigan? YES! To date, I've been able to find two:

• Maple, a retired law enforcement canine, is sniffing out a bacterial disease in beehives at Michigan State University.

• Mooz, a labradoodle in Harbor Springs, has been sniffing out the endangered wood turtle on behalf of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Natural Resources Department for the last 5 years.

Pretty amazing, eh? Stay tuned for so much more fun...