On the Spanish island of Ibiza, an unlikely hero is fighting the region’s invasive species crisis. Boyla, a German shepherd and border collie mix, was trained to catch invasive snakes that threatened the island’s native lizard population.
Boyla’s owner, Tomás Planells Struse, patiently taught her how to sniff out the snakes hidden throughout the island, according to Voice of Ibiza.
Two invasive snakes, the horseshoe whip snake and the ladder snake, were inadvertently introduced to Ibiza through imported olive trees. Despite trapping efforts, the snakes persisted and quickly spread across the island, threatening the area’s bird and insect populations.
One of the main problems with invasive species, such as the snakes in Ibiza, is the lack of natural predators when they are introduced to new places. As a result, they disrupt the balance of the food chain and cause serious ecological damage.
“[The snakes] On land, climbing, swimming,” Struth told Ibiza Voice. “Most importantly, they are fast. They have millions of ideal hiding places. “
This is where Boyla comes into play. Over time, Struth trained her to look for snakes in rock walls. Struth put his hand on one of the walls and said, “Bring it.” The word signaled to Boyla that it was time to sniff out and find the hidden snake.
Dogs have an incredible sense of smell thanks to 100 million sensory receptors in their nasal cavities. As a result, they can use their noses as tools to help officials detect and combat invasive species. Around the world, conservationists are training dogs to find elusive species that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Struse stresses that what he and Boira are doing can be done by others.
“I appeal and encourage everyone to get a trap, or a dog, or something to help control and eradicate snakes on the island,” he said.
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