Australia, Dogs cruise creeks on paddle boards to sniff out and help the vulnerable platypus

[TootsieFootsie]

MSN

ABC News Australia

Dogs cruise creeks on paddle boards to sniff out and help the vulnerable platypus​

Kip the kelpie heads up a Victorian creek in search of the elusive platypus. (Supplied: Rick Hammond, Zoos Victoria)

Donning their vests and putting their best paw forward, these sniffer dogs are on a mission to save an Australian icon.

Kip the kelpie and Moss the labrador are the newest members of the conservation team at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria.

Dubbed the "paddle pups", the dogs are trained to help scientists find and track species in the wild.

After working in Gippsland to find elusive Baw Baw frogs, the dogs have graduated to joining their handlers on paddle boards to help track platypuses.

And where many humans struggled to stay afloat, Healesville wildlife detection dog officer La Toya Jamieson said the dogs were excelling.

"We were pleasantly surprised with how quickly they learnt how to manoeuvre themselves around a paddle board in order to detect the platypus and they were just really excited to be doing so," she said.

 

[FluffyDove]

Good boys all around