It's well-known that dogs have keen noses, but did you know they can even detect water leaks?!
In June's animal news, we will be talking about the water leak detection dog and the New Zealand census. We will also be sharing the latest news about the live-streaming albatross.
Abandoned puppies' second lives
Dogs are trying to do something that we humans could never do: detect water leaks without relying on machines!
Drug-sniffing dogs and police dogs that can sniff out missing people and criminals are well known, but you've probably never heard of a dog that can detect water leaks.
Susan Nayer, a manager at Watercare in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city (the public organization that runs Auckland's water supply), came up with the idea of using dogs to detect leaks by detecting the smell of chlorine in tap water.
I immediately contacted Auckland Puppy Rescue, an organization that protects puppies in Auckland. They immediately agreed, and I took in three six-month-old sisters who had been abandoned and rescued, and started training them.
The dogs are expected to be able to detect the smell of chlorine from 1m underground. The three dogs are currently undergoing intensive training to find rubber toys that have been scented. After that, they will be trained to distinguish the smell of chlorine, and it is expected that they will be able to go out into the field around August.
The puppies' lives started off tough, but now they are all so friendly, cute and happy that it's hard to believe. I'm so proud of them.
said Susan.
Bird Census
A large-scale census began in New Zealand on June 25th. However, it's not a census of people, but rather a census of wild birds.
No special qualifications are required to participate in this survey. All you have to do is count the wild birds that visit your garden. This is a survey conducted with the cooperation of local citizens. To make it easier to count the birds, people use things like grass whistles to lure them closer, and sometimes they use insects as food. Since 2007, a total of 40,000 people have counted the number of wild birds that visit their gardens.
This is an Instagram post from the New Zealand Department of Conservation announcing the start of the survey. The first bird in this post is a pigeon called kererū...
The tūī (tui) is also used in the logo of New Zealand beer.
The survey found that the numbers of these wild birds have been increasing in recent years. According to experts, keeping track of bird numbers can help researchers understand the state of New Zealand's natural environment. An increase in the number of wild birds is definitely a good sign.
This wild bird census is the longest running of all citizen-led surveys, and as of the eighth day, one day before the final day of the survey, a total of 149,305 wild birds of 121 species had been counted.
Albatross chick weighs over 8kg
Tiaki, an albatross chick that is broadcast 24 hours a day from an albatross habitat on the Otago Peninsula in the South Island of New Zealand, is growing steadily with 32 other chicks in the same habitat. At the end of June, he weighed 8.2 kg.
Even when standing next to its parents, its size remains the same; in fact, because its down is still fluffy, it looks round and big. However, when it walks around and cries, it still looks like a baby.
6/26 10:33
— RoyalAlbatrossCam (@RoyAlbatrossCam) June 26, 2021
Wag that tail Tiaki!
Still staying close to her nest site, but on the move, more and more.
What a beautiful chick she is.
Watch more #RoyalCam live
or highlights at: https://t.co/9A481yiiom pic.twitter.com/CkL1hwnTvo
They are not yet very agile (the parents are not that agile either), but the way they walk around is very adorable!
But compared to a month ago, their range of movement has expanded considerably. Maybe it's getting close to the day they'll meet the chicks next door...?
6/21 15:37
— RoyalAlbatrossCam (@RoyAlbatrossCam) June 21, 2021
Sunny afternoon at the #RoyalCam , perfect for some in-sync playtime with Tiaki & SSTrig.
Thank you for watching.
Watch more at: https://t.co/9A481yiiom pic.twitter.com/cAJFwPoZse
At the end of June, the live stream was halted due to bad weather, but luckily the chicks managed to weather the storm safely.
You can watch the live stream, which is being run by the New Zealand Department of Conservation in collaboration with Cornell University in the US, here.
*This video is currently unavailable.
Article author
- She loves New Zealand, where she spent her high school and university years, and calls it her hometown. She buys 100% New Zealand wine, and always keeps SILENI Sauvignon Blanc on hand. She loves Marmite. More than half of her past boyfriends have been Kiwis.
- Director of Deck Corporation
