维多利亚草地无耳龙是澳大利亚最濒危的爬行动物1，该物种在50多年后于2023年在西维多利亚州一个羊放牧地被重新发现，这是全球唯一已知种群1。为了追踪这一极度濒危物种的种群动态，Zoos Victoria的研究团队训练了7条探测犬参与保护工作1。其中Sugar（德国短毛指示犬杂交）和Moss（拉布拉多犬）能够可靠地识别维多利亚草地无耳龙粪便与其他相似爬行动物粪便的区别1。
初期通过粪便追踪的策略面临重大挑战。在超过100次田间调查中仅发现一份粪便样本，且超过三分之一的粪便样本在24小时内被蚂蚁等昆虫清理1。面对这一困难，研究团队调整了策略，改为训练探测犬直接定位龙本身，包括在狼蛛洞穴和草丛中进行搜索1。犬队的搜索口令被定为"dracarys"，这一创意灵感源自《权力游戏》1。
Zoos Victoria has trained seven detection dogs to aid conservation efforts for the Victorian grassland earless lizard, among Australia's most critically imperiled reptiles 1. The specialized canine team, including Sugar, a German Shorthair Pointer cross, and Moss, a Labrador Retriever, has been deployed to track the species by identifying its fecal samples and distinguishing them from those of similar reptiles 1.
The Victorian grassland earless lizard was rediscovered in 2023 on a sheep grazing property in western Victoria—more than 50 years after its last confirmed sighting—representing the only known population in existence 1. During over 100 field surveys, however, researchers recovered just a single fecal sample, as more than one-third of collected samples were cleared away by ants and other insects within 24 hours 1. In response to these challenges, the research team has shifted its approach, now training the detection dogs to directly locate the lizards themselves within spider burrows and grass tufts 1. The dogs' search command, "dracarys," draws inspiration from the television series Game of Thrones 1.
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