A series of experimental trials were conducted at the DTCC to evaluate the wildlife detection dogs in locating live desert tortoises and signaling finds to the handlers. These trials included separate surface and burrow searches, as well as clearance surveys (thorough canvases of defined areas to account for the total population of a given species), which were conducted to compare the effectiveness of both dogs and humans at finding desert tortoises.

A GIS (geographic information system) was used to generate random points in the study areas. Tortoises were tethered to stakes placed at these points through a ring epoxied on the hind area of their upper shells. Two-foot tethers prevented the tortoises from moving away from these locations but allowed the tortoise access to shade or sunlight. The tether design was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make sure that stress to the animals was minimized.

Both dogs and handlers were fitted with GPS equipment to record their precise movements in one-second intervals. Special meteorological stations were designed to collect information about environmental conditions simultaneously with search activities. An intricate and extensive relational database was developed capable of tracking an immense volume of data, including changing locations of the dogs, handlers, and tortoises; dog/handler pairings; weather conditions; and physical descriptions of the tortoises.

According to Dr. Cablk, “This is an incredible opportunity to make significant advances in our understanding about the desert tortoise in a very short time based on massive amounts of new data. The results, we hope, will help lead to a reverse in the negative trend in tortoise populations.”