Newt-sniffing canine referred to as Freya helps to find elusive amphibians

Life

Nice crested newts reside largely underground, in order that they’re difficult to seek out – a researcher skilled her canine, Freya, to detect the threatened amphibians deep within the soil with greater than 87 per cent accuracy

By Corryn Wetzel

Two year old English springer spaniel, Freya, has been trained to detect great crested newts — Freya, an English springer spaniel, has been skilled to detect nice crested newts

Nick Upton for Wessex Water

Nice crested newts are threatened amphibians that reside in lowland areas of England, however their underground life-style makes them difficult to seek out. Scientists have now skilled a canine to smell out the threatened newts even when they’re distant or deep beneath the soil, which might increase conservation efforts.

As a result of great crested newts (Triturus cristatus) nest in underground burrows and rocky crevices as adults, they’re extremely difficult to seek out. Because of this, researchers know a …

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