Wildlife detection dogs effectively survey a terrestrial amphibian, but differ among individuals, weather and habitat

The endangered natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita) faces ongoing habitat loss, requiring effective conservation measures. Field surveys must therefore address their highly variable detectability in terrestrial habitats. We investigated the factors influencing capture success comparing two methods: artificial cover boards (ACB) and wildlife detection dogs (WDD). We first analysed environmental and training factors influencing toad detectability for four detection dogs with varying experience using a binomial generalized linear model (GLM). Then, we compared capture success of ACBs and WDD transects (deploying two dogs) considering weather and habitat type using negative binomial GLMs. Across 200 tests, each detection dog displayed a unique learning curve, with performance influenced mainly by dog behaviour, wind, test blindness and insect presence. Detection rates across dogs levelled off at 87.2 % (75.7 % – 94.8 %). Capture success of both methods under real-deployment co..., , # Wildlife detection dogs effectively survey a terrestrial amphibian, but differ among individuals, weather and habitat

Authors:
Koch, Veronika Paulina (a,b); Bolte, Leonard (a,c); Harms, Wiebke (a,b); Henle, Klaus (a); Grimm-Seyfarth, Annegret (a,b)
a - UFZ – Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Conservation Biology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
b - Wildlife Detection Dogs e.V., Immenkorv 19, 24582 Bordesholm, Germany
c - University of Leipzig, Institute of Biology, Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

Contact details:
[[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]) (corresponding author, phone: [phone], ORCID 0009-0007-7139-8887),
[[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]) (ORCID 0000-0002-6885-5641),
[[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]) (ORCID 0009-0009-2390-7258),
[[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]) (ORCID 0000-0002-6647-5362),
[[e-mail]](ma...,