Will Bark For Science

Summary

Short Wave Episode Summary: "Will Bark For Science"

Release Date: March 5, 2025
Host: Emily Kwong and Burleigh McCoy
Producer: Burleigh McCoy
Produced by Rachel Carson Carlson

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Introduction: Meet Jack the Conservation Dog

In this engaging episode of NPR's Short Wave, hosts Emily Kwong and Burleigh McCoy delve into the fascinating world of conservation dogs, focusing on Jack—a blue heeler mix with a remarkable talent for sniffing out scientific clues. Jack's journey from a shelter dog to a vital member of conservation efforts underscores the profound impact these canines have on environmental science.

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Jack's Mission: Tracking Whale Scat

[04:47] Emily Kwong: "Okay. Burleigh McCoy, shortwave producer. Why is Jack the Dog searching for whale poop?"

Burleigh explains that Jack's primary mission is to locate whale scat, which provides invaluable data about the whales' health, diet, and exposure to toxins. "So this poop can tell scientists if the whale is eating enough, how stressed they are, if they are pregnant, if they've consumed toxins," Burleigh states [04:53].

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Training Jack for Marine Conservation

[05:35] Colette Yee: "Whale scat in, like, trees and on top of rocks and all these places where obviously you're never gonna find it in the wild, but it doesn't make a difference to him, he's just like, okay, I know this game."

Colette Yee, Jack's handler, shares insights into the rigorous training process. Jack was trained on land to recognize the scent of whale scat before transitioning to boat-based searches. "He loves that game," Burleigh adds [05:45], highlighting Jack's enthusiasm and adaptability.

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The Science Behind Dogs' Superior Sense of Smell

To understand Jack's extraordinary abilities, Burleigh interviews Lauren Degreeff, a forensic chemist at Florida International University.

[08:42] Lauren Degreeff: "Dogs and other mammals like rats and mice are considered macro osmotic, while humans are considered micro osmotic."

Lauren explains that dogs have a more complex nasal structure, allowing them to concentrate and sift through scents more effectively than humans. "They can code more odorants, and they can basically distinguish better between what you want them to find and the other things that are there," she elaborates [09:55].

This advanced olfactory capability is why Jack can detect subtle scents like whale scat amidst a myriad of other odors in the ocean environment.

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The Team Effort: Trust and Coordination

[12:12] Ken Ramirez: "The secret of odor detection is that you don't really train that the dog already knows how to smell the world around them. But our job as trainers is to teach them what to smell, when to smell it, and what to do when."

Ken Ramirez, Executive Vice President and Chief Training Officer for CARE and Pryor Clicker Training, emphasizes the importance of precise training techniques. Colette and Jack's success hinges on their mutual trust and seamless coordination. Colette must interpret Jack's subtle cues to identify when he has detected the target scent without disrupting his focus [07:06].

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High-Stakes Conservation Efforts

Searching for whale scat is a time-sensitive endeavor. [07:26] Burleigh notes, "They can't, because the scat breaks up or it sinks really quick, sometimes within 10 minutes of leaving the whale's back end." This urgency requires Jack and Colette to quickly position their boat based on the whale's movements, water currents, and wind direction to maximize the chances of locating fresh scat [07:29].

Colette recounts the first successful detection:

[08:25] Colette Yee: "She's, like, got the biggest grin on her face. And I just know, like, this is it. We just did this."

Her excitement underscores the emotional rewards of their meticulous work.

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Expanding the Role of Conservation Dogs

Beyond whale scat, conservation dogs like Jack are employed in a variety of environmental projects:

• Detecting Invasive Species: Sniffing out invasive plants and insects that threaten native ecosystems.
• Locating Poachers: Helping protect endangered animals from illegal hunting.
• Identifying Disease: Detecting diseases in wildlife populations, such as the deadly disease in bighorn sheep.
• Environmental Cleanup: Assisting in oil spill cleanups by locating residual crude oil in challenging terrains.

[13:39] Burleigh mentions, "Dogs are sniffing out beetle-infested wood and cryptic endangered stone flies. They've been trained to detect a deadly disease in bighorn sheep and used to detect poachers."

These diverse applications illustrate the versatility and critical importance of conservation dogs in modern environmental science.

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The Importance of Human-Canine Trust

Central to the effectiveness of conservation dogs is the trust between the handler and the dog. [13:14] Burleigh states, "This is where this other component comes in, which is trust. Both Colette and Ken told me that these types of projects work because of the unique human dog relationship that can form when it's built on trust."

This bond ensures that dogs like Jack perform reliably under pressure, making split-second decisions that can significantly impact conservation outcomes.

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Conclusion: Celebrating Conservation Success

[14:20] Emily Kwong wraps up by celebrating the achievements of Jack and his fellow conservation dogs: "Shout out to Jack and conservation doggos everywhere. And they're humans like Colette."

The episode concludes by highlighting the essential role these canine heroes play in safeguarding our planet's biodiversity, demonstrating how their innate abilities, combined with human dedication, drive meaningful scientific discoveries and conservation successes.

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Notable Quotes:

• Burleigh McCoy [04:53]: "So this poop can tell scientists if the whale is eating enough, how stressed they are, if they are pregnant, if they've consumed toxins."
• Colette Yee [05:35]: "Whale scat in, like, trees and on top of rocks and all these places where obviously you're never gonna find it in the wild, but it doesn't make a difference to him, he's just like, okay, I know this game."
• Lauren Degreeff [09:55]: "They can code more odorants, and they can basically distinguish better between what you want them to find and the other things that are there."
• Ken Ramirez [12:12]: "The secret of odor detection is that you don't really train that the dog already knows how to smell the world around them. But our job as trainers is to teach them what to smell, when to smell it, and what to do when."
• Colette Yee [08:25]: "She's, like, got the biggest grin on her face. And I just know, like, this is it. We just did this."

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Acknowledgments:

This episode was produced by Rachel Carson Carlson, edited by Rebecca Ramirez, fact-checked by Tyler Jones, with audio engineering by Kwesi Lee and Beth. Special thanks to Donovan, Senior Director, and Colin Campbell, Senior Vice President of Podcasting Strategy.

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For more insights into the intersection of science and everyday life, tune into NPR's Short Wave.

Transcript

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[Emily Kwong]

Amazon One Medical, you're listening to Short Wave from npr.

[Colette Yee]

Okay, Jack's going to take off and go look for the sample.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Emily meets Colette Yee and Jack.

[Emily Kwong]

Is Jack a dog?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Jack is a dog. He is a blue heeler mix with floppy ears and an intense love for playing with his ball. He was originally a shelter dog, but now he is employed.

[Emily Kwong]

Oh, what's his job?

[Burleigh McCoy]

So Jack and Colette work for rogue detection teams based in Rice, Washington, a company that trains rescue dogs to sniff out of, well, a lot of things.

[Colette Yee]

And we have a piece of bumblebee nest out right now.

[Emily Kwong]

Bumblebee nest?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Finding live bumblebee nests is something Jack actually was trained to do. He helps with conservation projects. So in search of endangered bees, there was a time that Jack helped scientists learn about their habitat.

[Rachel Carson Carlson]

Wow.

[Emily Kwong]

Because the nests are kind of hard to find.

[Burleigh McCoy]

They are if you're human, but not for Jack. Not for Jack. Good job, kid.

[Colette Yee]

Good job. And he just found the sample. And I give him the stay until I get there, and then he gets his ball. Good boy, Jack.

[Burleigh McCoy]

So this is part of a training exercise, but when Jack is actually looking for his intended target, especially if it's a new job, it can be really tricky.

[Colette Yee]

It can be very cryptic odors. It can be oftentimes scat.

[Burleigh McCoy]

So poop. Jack has found a lot of poop from all kinds of animals, from foxes, deer, lynx, wolf, cougar, bobcat. They found the scents of live animals, too.

[Colette Yee]

Washington ground squirrel odors, invasive European green.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Crabs, and contraband ivory shark fin. They found carcasses. They've even found diseased plants. Emily. And a lot of what they found is in this rugged, remote terrain. And a lot of these jobs would be impossible or too resource intensive for people to do on their own. Colette says conservation dogs often add a crucial missing piece of information to a conservation puzzle.

[Emily Kwong]

What an inventive use of one of dog's greatest superpowers, their noses.

[Burleigh McCoy]

I know it seems so obvious when you think about it that this field of conservation dog detection has just only really exploded in the last 25 years. Like in 90s, there were maybe five, 10 papers published about the topic in a year. And by the late 2000 and tens, it exploded up to at least 60 a year. So these dogs are sniffing out everything from invasive plants to endangered bugs on land and in boats. So on their second job ever, Colette and Jack were assigned to a really complicated project in which they were confined to a boat.

[Emily Kwong]

What were they looking for?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Whale poop. Emily for science.

[Emily Kwong]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. You're telling me Jack can smell underwater?

[Burleigh McCoy]

You'll have to wait and see. Today on the show, Jack the Conservation Doggo. How canines like Jack help conservation biologists find the hidden hard to find and invisible and the science of how they do it.

[Emily Kwong]

I'm Emily kwong. I'm Burleigh McCoy, and you're listening to Shortwave from NPR.

[Rachel Carson Carlson]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Amazon Prime Video presenting Common Ground, a film about the power of agriculture to reshape the planet through sustainable farming. Featuring Jason Momoa, Laura Dern, Donald Glover, Rosario Dawson, and Ian Somerhalder. Common Ground profiles a movement of farmers using regenerative models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save people's health, and stabilize America's economy. Now streaming only on Prime. Support for npr. And the following message come from Indeed. Just realizing your business needed to hire someone yesterday, speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit now@ Indeed.com Shortwave terms and conditions apply. This message comes from Charles Schwab. When it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices like full service, wealth management, and advice when you need it. You can also invest on your own and trade on thinkorswim. Visit schwab.com to learn more.

[Emily Kwong]

Okay. Burleigh McCoy, shortwave producer. Why is Jack the Dog searching for whale poop?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Well, kind of for a lot of reasons. So this poop can tell scientists if the whale is eating enough, how stressed they are, if they are pregnant, if they've consumed toxins, the scientists who contracted them. So Colette and Jack to do this job from the University of Washington and the nonprofit Wild Orca, they've been collecting this whale scat for years.

[Emily Kwong]

That's amazing. And also sounds far less invasive than having to physically handle a killer whale. How does one go about asking a dog to lead them to whale poop in the ocean?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Yeah. So before they could even get on the boat, Colette had to train Jack to recognize the smell of whale scat. So, first on land, I'm hiding killer.

[Colette Yee]

Whale scat in, like, trees and on top of rocks and all these places where obviously you're never gonna find it in the wild, but it doesn't make a difference to him, he's just like, okay, I know this game.

[Burleigh McCoy]

And he loves that game. So they do this on land, then they move their training to a boat. Jack stands at the front of the boat sniffing the air, and Colette stands behind him.

[Emily Kwong]

So Jack never actually gets in the water.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Right? Right. He's been trained to sniff out this whale scat from the boat.

[Colette Yee]

And we take the killer whale scat. It's just this, like. It looks like a gooey booger. It's absolutely foul. And you pour it into a Tupperware and just kind of float it out into the water, into the open water and drive the boat away.

[Emily Kwong]

Commitment to the ocean sometimes looks like this. How does Colette know, though, that Jack has picked up on a scent?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Yeah. So he usually wags his tail and leads Colette right to the thing on land. But in a boat, he can't run to the poop. So Colette had to learn to notice these super subtle changes in Jack's demeanor.

[Colette Yee]

I would see his eyes close a little bit. I'm looking at which side of his nostril is flaring, and I can feel, like the tension in the leash start to just get a little bit more because he's leaning forward into the air.

[Emily Kwong]

This seems also like a team effort.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Yeah.

[Emily Kwong]

Jack has to find the smell and then communicate it to Colette, who has to notice that he's communicating and listen to him.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Right. And then after that, she's got to use these little hand movements to direct to the captain of the boat so she doesn't distract Jack. And so they kind of get this down. Right. They're on the boat, they're practicing, and then it's time to go out and find the real thing. Which means, Emily, they have to follow the whales.

[Emily Kwong]

Wait, why do they have to follow the whales? Can't they just find their poop?

[Burleigh McCoy]

They can't, because the scat breaks up or it sinks really quick, sometimes within 10 minutes of leaving the whale's back end. So they need whales to signal where to start looking while also trying not to get too close to them to, like, push them away. And Colette says you have to make this whole mental map that takes into account the whale's location, the water current, and the wind to put the boat exactly where Jack could pick up a scent.

[Emily Kwong]

This is such a dance. Okay. And it sounds like there is a time constraint, too.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Absolutely. So with all this, you're trying to race to get the poop before it sinks.

[Emily Kwong]

What a magical, mystical, fleeting booger of a turd.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Colette says it feels like really high stakes. And so she's doubting herself when they're out looking for this whale scat for the first time. And then she starts to see little specks in the water. And she thinks this could be anything until she turns to the whale expert in the boat, Deborah Giles.

[Colette Yee]

She's, like, got the biggest grin on her face. And I just know, like, this is it. We just did this.

[Emily Kwong]

They did it. It worked. And from a boat, no less. I mean, that just goes to show you how good Jack's nose is.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Right.

[Emily Kwong]

But even so, how is he doing this?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Yeah. So this was one of the questions that I asked Lauren Degreeff. She's a forensic chemist at Florida International, and she studies the compounds dogs are smelling in the air when they detect things.

[Lauren Degreeff]

Dogs and other mammals like rats and mice are considered macro osmotic, while humans are considered micro osmotic. And what that means is that the inner flow paths of our. When we sniff versus breathe are different between those two sets of animals.

[Burleigh McCoy]

So for dogs, the air coming in through their nose goes to two separate places, their lungs and the spongy area in the back of their snout, which means that the scents are getting, like, collected and concentrated instead of getting diluted from the air. And then the other part of the dog nose anatomy that helps them smell better are these little slits that you've probably seen on the sides of their noses. That's where the exhales go. And when that happens, it creates this little vacuum that sucks more air into their nose, which means they can smell more with that second or third sniff.

[Lauren Degreeff]

So all those little sniffs as they go in and out, they're really, really reaching. It's like having little invisible hands pulling that odor towards their nose.

[Emily Kwong]

What a delicious life. The life of a dog.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Right. And Lauren says one of the reasons dogs are able to distinguish these low amounts of an odor in these complicated environments is because dogs have a lot more receptors for different, what we call odorants, which are molecules or chemicals in the air that make up an odor, basically.

[Emily Kwong]

Sure, sure, sure.

[Burleigh McCoy]

And different odorants can activate multiple receptors in the dog's nose. And that translates to a kind of specific code for the dog.

[Lauren Degreeff]

They can code more odorants, and they can basically distinguish better between what you want them to find and the other things that are there.

[Burleigh McCoy]

They're basically chemists. Yeah, but this is actually a part of what Lauren studies, trying to understand what exactly it is that a dog is smelling.

[Emily Kwong]

Oh, from. From like a chemical standpoint. That's interesting. Because thinking about Colette's work, if you want Jack to smell whale poop, don't you just need to kind of show them the whale poop? Why do you need to know on a chemical level what's in a different target?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Yeah, so you don't really need to for every case. Like in the case with Jack, it worked to just show him whale poop.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah.

[Burleigh McCoy]

But Lauren told me about one project she's working on, helping dogs detect crude oil from oil spills after the major cleanup has already happened. And now they're, like, looking for the hidden oil in the sand or other nooks and crannies. And to do that, a dog really needs to be able to tell the difference between the smell of recent oil and older oil. So Lauren, like, needed to find out the chemical difference in oil based on how it aged or weathered to be able to train the dog accordingly.

[Rachel Carson Carlson]

Right.

[Emily Kwong]

And is the goal that then a dog will be able to detect old oil in nature?

[Burleigh McCoy]

Yeah. You basically figure out what makes old oil smell like old oil, and then you show that to the dog, and that basically can narrow your margin of error.

[Ken Ramirez]

Animals learn all the time. The question is, are they learning what you want them to learn, or are they just learning what the environment is teaching them naturally?

[Burleigh McCoy]

This is Ken Ramirez. He is executive vice president and chief training officer for CARE and Pryor Clicker Training. He's a biologist, a behaviorist, and a trainer of animal trainers. He does it all. He says his job is to help people understand the science behind animal training and especially odor detection training.

[Ken Ramirez]

The secret of odor detection is that you don't really train that the dog already knows how to smell the world around them. But our job as trainers is to teach them what to smell, when to smell it, and what to do when.

[Emily Kwong]

They smell it, which makes sense, though I imagine it's hard to do in practice.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Yeah. Ken says trainers have to be really careful that they don't, like, always leave their human scent on training materials. For example, this was exactly why Colette was so nervous the first time time she and Jack went out looking for wild whale scat, because Jack was going to have to make this connection all on his own that what he was supposed to find wouldn't have other smells from the training scat, like Colette's smell or the Tupperware container.

[Emily Kwong]

Oh, but he did it. I mean, Jack, he made that cognitive smell o vision leap all on his own. He did. Even knowing how good a dog's nose is, though, it's. It is astonishing. And it just sounds like a lot of coordination on Jack and Colette's parts.

[Burleigh McCoy]

It really is. And that's where this other component comes in, which is trust. Both Colette and Ken told me that these types of projects work because of the unique human dog relationship that can form when it's built on trust, which is ultimately what Colette had to rely on when she was out in the boat with Jack.

[Emily Kwong]

We love a conservation success story.

[Burleigh McCoy]

We do.

[Emily Kwong]

Tell me about what other projects conservation dogs are working on.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Yeah, Ken Ramirez actually told me about his project relocating sea turtle eggs after an oil spill. He got this small team of dogs and handlers together to locate buried eggs on the beach so people could move them before they hatched and swam into the oil spill. Dogs are sniffing out beetle infested wood and cryptic endangered stone flies. They've been trained to detect a deadly disease in bighorn sheep and used to detect poachers.

[Emily Kwong]

Wow.

[Burleigh McCoy]

And good to remember. Like anything, using detection dogs for conservation isn't always the best method, but it can be a really powerful tool and it's been picking up steam in the last couple of decades.

[Emily Kwong]

Shout out to Jack and conservation doggos everywhere. And they're humans like Colette.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Absolutely.

[Emily Kwong]

Thank you for bringing us the story, Burleigh.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Thank you for listening.

[Emily Kwong]

This episode was produced by Rachel Carson Carlson. It was edited by our showrunner Rebecca Ramirez and fact checked by Tyler Jones. The audio engineer was Kwesi Lee, Beth.

[Burleigh McCoy]

Donovan is our Senior director and Colin Campbell is our Senior Vice President of Podcasting Strategy.

[Emily Kwong]

I'm Emily Kwong.

[Burleigh McCoy]

And I'm Burleigh McCoy.

[Emily Kwong]

Thanks for listening to Shortwave from NPR.

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