DOGS TO DETECT EASTERN INDIGO SNAKES
AT THE
JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS

September 6, 2006 – Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is working with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to test a trained dog’s ability to detect the federally threatened Eastern Indigo Snake. There will be an Eastern Indigo Snake canine detection test performed at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in the open field near the Zoo’s picnic area on September 6, 2006 starting at 9:00 a.m. A trained dog will be tested on its ability to detect the snakes by their scent in a controlled detection experiment. The dogs will have to identify the Indigo Snake, discerning its scent from a variety of other animals. Once identified, the dog will sit next to the animal as a signal of detection.

It is hoped that with this new detection method more information regarding the snakes’ home range and life history can be discovered. The experiment will be conducted to discover the efficiency and reliability of using trained canines to detect the threatened snake.