K9 Conservationists

Latest Episodes:

Bats and Wind Farms with Dr. Merlin Tuttle Jan 11, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks to Dr. Merlin Tuttle about bats and wind farms. Episode suggestion: Come to conversations ready to learn and ready to be curious. Call to action: Research your utility company and ask about green energy options in your area. More than 3 million bats a year are being killed by wind farms, none of which are labelled as endangered What can listeners do to get more involved? Be more knowledgeable about who you support. Ask them questions! Reduce the power you use! “Why run animals to environmental irrelevance before doing anything?” Links Mentioned in the Episode: Win Friends Not Battles Female bats harmed disproprotionately by turbines Where to find Dr. Tuttle: Video Library | Photo Library | Website You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists. K9 Conservationists Website | Merch | Support Our Work | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Amphibians and Charismatic MiniFauna with Dr. Erim Gomez Jan 04, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks to Dr. Erim Gomez. They nerd out about amphibians, diversity, and academia!

Episode suggestion: Try something new, even if it’s small!

Call to action: Update your amazon smile to benefit K9 Conservationist!

How could dogs help with amphibian research?

Humans can’t see as well as dogs can smell, so dogs would be more accurate
Dogs would also be able to help pinpoint the location in a safer way, vs humans having to dig around to find one

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Spadefoot Toad
Roguefungus

Where to find Erim: Instagram | Twitter

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.

"Making It" as a Conservation Detection Dog Handler Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks about her experience and advice on how to “make it” as a K9 Conservationists handler.

Call to action: Join us on Patreon or make a monthly donation.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Lonely Conservationists Essay

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.

Give Bats a Break with Nate Marshall Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla and Charles speak with Nate Marshall. They talk about bats, wind farms, and why you should care about the conservation of bats!

Episode suggestion: Win friends, not battles.

Call to action: Build a bat box.

What should we like about bats?

They are around everywhere in multiple types of ecosystems
They eat insects, fruits, fish, crustaceans, and blood
The variation and diversity in bats is truly astonishing
1 in 5 mammals in the world is a species of bat

How many different species?

There are over 1400 species, the number still increasing due to discoveries

Are they nocturnal?

Not all species are! Some are, others are day-dwelling
Same with echolocation; not all of them do it

What do they eat?

Mosquitos and other mosquito sized insects, which helps our ecosystem
They also eat other pests, like moths
Fruit; they help disperse seeds
Nectar; they help pollinate
Blood; only 3 species consume blood
Fish

Bats and Wind Farms

While wind farms are good for pollution, they are decimating migratory species, such as bats
Some farms are trying ways to get bats to avoid the area, or to shut down during peak migration periods
Various farms are working on new mitigation techniques that work better

What other threats do bats face?

White nose syndrome, which is a fungal infection that wakes hibernating bats
They are hunted in some places for meat
General misinformation and fear

What can we do to help?

Bat boxes. However, they aren’t a long term solution
It is important to follow the research when building and placing a bat box
Plant trees
Less pesticides the better
Grow a garden
Keep water clean
Artificial lighting can be detrimental to bats
Find a local bat working group
Bat walks

Introducing Our New Conservation Correspondent: Dr. Charles van Rees Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla introduces Dr. Charles van Rees. Charles has been on the show before, but will now make a more regular appearance as K9 Conservationists new Conservation Correspondent.

Selecting and Raising a Conservation Detection Dog Puppy with Laura Holder Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla talks to Laura Holder of Conservation Dogs Collective. They chat all about puppies!

Episode suggestion: Stay curious by being more “dog”! For 90 seconds a day, find joy in little things and slow down!

Call to action: Update your Amazon Smile to benefit K9 Conservationists.

What are the pros and cons of getting a conservation dog as a puppy?

Pros: Having a dog from a puppy gives you more control over their learning and getting them started on detection-related development early

Cons: It is a huge time and monetary investment. There is also no guarantee they will end up working as a conversation dog.

What are you looking for when looking for a breeder?

It is a good idea to interview breeders Look for physical health, how the dogs are kept, titles, bred for related work (service work, police dogs, hunting, etc.)

How to pick a puppy from a litter?

If the breeder doesn’t pick for you, it would be best to see some video of the litters, see if the breeder knows about Puppy Culture, etc. You can do an obstacle course, puzzles, etc. If your breeder is selecting, ensure they know what they are looking for. Be cautious about shelter puppies, as there are so many perks to working with a reputable breeder

What are some games would you play with puppies to get them started on the conservation detection line of work?

Basic puppy socialization is important! Sprinkle in a little bit of nosework such as food scatters and snuffle mats! Keep things easy to start, they are just puppies!

What about games for a pre-teen puppy?

They have a higher attention span, so you can increase the difficulty of your nose games
Barrier challenges are good to start at this age

What games can we play with teenage detection dogs?

They are still young, so it’s important to know they will still have “difficult” days You can increase the difficulty even more and introduce physical aspects to the challenges

How do you manage your goals and expectations for your puppy?

Your puppy will never be perfect, neither will you.
Mistakes will happen and that’s okay!
Working with a professional will help set you up for success
Be your puppy’s advocate
Be humble, don’t wear rose coloured glasses
“Everything is a phase; whether it’s good, whether it’s bad, whether you’re thrilled with what you’re seeing or devastated.”
Know when to really dig into something or when to just let them ride it out
It is absolutely okay if raising a puppy is not your thing.

Patreon Question: How can I be productive in developing a conservation or good scent detection puppy while dealing with puppy brain and waiting for maturity to hit? Are there certain signs that you can see early on a potential conservation prospect puppy? Try as best as possible to expose and positively influence the puppies experience out in the world.

You’ve got time! Signs to look for are dogs that are motivated to engage with the environment with and without human-induced reinforcers

How to be a K9 Conservationist Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla discusses the ins and outs of becoming a K9 Conservationist!

Episode suggestion: It’s okay to not finish a book if you aren’t liking it.

Call to action: Check out our new merch!!

Suggested by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, create a 3-way Venn diagram of how to get involved.

Top circle is “what you love.”
Circle off to the left of what you’re good at
Lastly, a circle to the right of what the world needs.
In the center could be some ways you can help save the planet, save some dogs, or be a k9 conservationist.

Smaller ways to help

Be a more eco friendly dog owner by supporting local, reducing your carbon footprint during travel, etc.
Volunteer with organizations that protect the land or start your own

Getting in the field of conservation detection:

Your first 2 steps no matter what are similar if you want to be a handler: learn scentwork/handling/dog behavior and familiarize yourself with field biology and survey techniques
Volunteer to start to see if its something you’d be interested in
Education
- Grad school is one option
- Getting hired with a bigger organization is another
  - Working Dogs for Conservation
  - Rogue Detection Teams
  - Science Dogs of New England
  - Conservation Dogs Collective
  - WEST Inc
    - Summer gigs for wind and solar farms
    - You get hired with your dog
  - Other abroad organizations
- Taking courses in person and online, such as Fenzi Dog Sport Academy for Nosework, Rogue Detection Teams, Conservation K9 Consultancy in Australia
- K9 Conservationist podcast and patreon

Being a handler isn’t your only option, and it’s not for everyone. Other ways to get involved:

Volunteer with us: course creation, social media, website maintenance - you probably have a skill we need!
Work in another role like fundraising at another organization
Biologists can hire us
Shelter workers can help us find other dogs
Donations, of course
Get involved in your local community with the shelter, trail building, PlayCleanGo, wildlife rehab, or just pick up some extra dog poo bags.

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Conservationists with Jeff Rennicke Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Jeff Rennickle. They talk about inspiring others to care about the land and Jeff’s experiences with photographing the world and teaching at the Conserve School.

Episode suggestion: Give yourself grace for what you’re capable of right now.

Call to action: Find a place that speaks to you, visit it often, and find out what you can do to get involved in its protection.

What is wilderness?

The wildness of our planet and the existence of everything in it
The preservation of the world
There's always two people in a photograph: photographer and viewer

Words and photos have the power to inspire people. Why does it matter?

“Knowledge without love will not stick, but teach someone to love something first, then knowledge will follow.” - John Burroughs

What are some of the lessons you’ve learned from working with adults vs children?

There are a lot of similarities
There are subtle difference in pacing, assumption of understanding, etc., but you are still telling stories about a cause you want them to fall in love with
“Facts and figures don’t stick, it’s love” - Jeff

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Wilderness and the American Mind
Jeff’s bog and conservation photos
Hannah Stonehouse Hudson Photography

Where to find Jeff: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Friends of the Apostle Islands

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.

Communications, Travel, and Conservation with Brooke Mitchell-Norman Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Brooke Mitchell-Norman. They talk about tourism, communication, education, and how all of that relates to conservation!

Episode suggestion: Don't sacrifice what you want now for what you want most of all.

Call to action: Support a local small business that donates or shares some of its profits with a cause you care about.

How does travel benefit conservation?

When it is done right, it puts an exact value dollar on a live and thriving wildlifeWhen your favourite species is a top predator, it is in your genes to want to kill it to protect yourself
There are very few things in conservation that places monetary value on wildlife, nature, and intact ecosystems
A significant number of people are directly and indirectly supported through tourism

Can you tell us about some of the ways that travelers can not just support local communities and put value on live animals but also directly contribute to community science?

Do your research
Check the websites; can you tell if the business is locally owned or not?If so, your money will be for the local community
How are they interacting with wildlife?If there are advertisements of people directly touching and interacting with wildlife, such as cubs, that is a red flag
If something makes you uncomfortable, you do not have to do it

Are there any countries with regulations on these things?

The Galapagos
Africa
Be wary of Asia, research elephant tourism

Why is communication and education so important for conservation?

Connection
We have to change the message from doom and gloom to storytelling and showing what we are fighting for
If you connect with someone on a deeper level, they are more likely to listen to what you have to say and support you

What are some misunderstandings?

That it is “bothering” wildlife, but there are always many layers to the reason for it. If it wasn’t for tourism, a lot of ecosystems would not have continued to thrive
There are a lot of tourism places that give a bad reputation to the reputable ones

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Where to find Brooke: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube

You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.

The Great Big Data Nerdfest with Dr. Charles van Rees (Part 2) Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Dr. Charles Van Rees about data. They discuss the ins and outs of working with data and how to turn data into information scientists can use.Episode suggestion: Take the time to see, smell, and notice things outside!

Call to action: Check out ebird, inaturalist or seek!

What is/are data?

Information that we can use for inference and for learning things
Data doesn’t necessarily “teach you things” but it helps you learn an answer to something you’re looking for

Examples of data for conservation science

Occurrence data: evidence of the occurrence of a species in a specific area
Abundance data: identifying and counting every individual of every species in a given sector
Time series data: a series of data points indexed in time order
Monitoring: the process of watching the changes and patterns in the species

Challenges in data collection

Biases in both humans vs dogs
Dogs have less of a visual bias than humans as they rely on olfactory vs sight to find data
Important to consider if the questions you are asking from the data are going to be worth it to have dogs involved.
Sample size: you have to have enough data in order to be able to work with the data
Trying to collect data in a cost effective way
You can’t control the data you collect

What happens to the life-cycle of data?

Analysis
Publishing
FAIR principles
Meta-analyses and reviews
Policy!
Or if not, advocacy! Action! Management!

What are ways to collect data?

Conservation detection dogs
Radio collars
Camera traps
eDNA
Drones
Audio surveys
Netting

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Mirror test (Kayla got this slightly wrong - dolphins spent extra time head circling, which may indicate recognition)
Dogs self-recognition with scent
Wolverine Way book

Where to find Charles: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Nature Guys