A Black Labrador Sniffs Out Sea Vomit on Scottish Beaches
She freezes and stares when she smells the orange, slimy invader, then goes back to playing.
Global News Podcast · Zelensky feels 'betrayed' by TrumpA six-year-old black Labrador named Skia can find an animal known as the carpet sea squirt by sniffing beaches in Scotland.
She works with her owner on Scotland's western shore when the tide is out. She pushes her nose under seaweed to pick out the species' specific scent, and she signals a find by stopping and staring.
The target is an orange, slimy creature sometimes called sea vomit because of its revolting appearance. It is a nonnative species that spreads over native wildlife and crowds it out. If left unchecked, it can badly damage ocean habitats and economies.
That work has been recognized by a UK charity, which named her Animal of the Year. The prize means nothing to Skia. She treats the search like play.
Questions people ask
What exactly is the carpet sea squirt?
It is a colonial sea animal that grows in thick, carpetlike mats over rocks, seaweed, and shellfish beds. The mats can smother mussels, oysters, and other native life, which is why coastal managers try to find and remove it early.
How can a dog smell something that lives underwater?
She does not search underwater. She works when the tide is out and the shore is exposed. The scent likely lingers around damp seaweed, and dogs have far more scent receptors than people, so Skia can pick out its odor from kelp, crabs, and salt water.
What happens after Skia finds it?
She signals to her handler that she has found something by freezing and staring. People can then check the patch, record it, and remove or treat it before it spreads further along the coast.