Tree Sniffing Dogs

Dogs are fascinating creatures. Dogs can detect 5 times more scents than we humans can, and this has been used to great effect - simply check out Dog Squad on our local tv screens! Dogs sniffing drugs, bombs, cash, fruit... All sorts of things that our Biosecurity Control Team do not wish to have in the country.

But now, dogs, well one dog in particular, have been trained to sniff out something that is rife within our Northland forests...  Similar to how pigs are used to sniff out where tasty truffle fungi are hiding, this dog (named Paddy) can sniff out Phytophthora taxon Agathis, a water mould, that is killing Kauri trees (Agathis australis).

Our taonga -“Kauri are one of the largest rainforest trees on earth and they are to New Zealand what the pyramids are to Egypt and Stonehenge and cathedrals are to England,” Stephen King, Northland

Phytophthora taxon Agathis (PTA)

Now I love most fungi, and I know that they can be helpful to organisms in a forest system - help with decomposing old wood, fallen leaves, and fresh edible mushrooms are a treat not to be missed! But PTA is not to be messed with. The spores of this microbe infect the root systems of our ancient Kauri, damaging the tissues that send nutrients around the tree. The roots start to rot. Then the tree dies.

A happy, healthy Kauri tree, Waipoua Forest, Northland, New Zealand

Which is why is it of utmost importance when visiting the Waipoua Forest to always clean your shoes, and stay on the track! Leaving a designated path, or boardwalk, for a few steps to get a picture with these awesome trees can spread PTA and kill a tree that might be 1000's of years old...

Heres hoping that Paddy, the kauri sniffing dog can help 'stop the spread' until we find a cure. You can find an excellent overview of infected areas, with further information, if you click below:

 Kauri Dieback Disease

Tane Mahuta, God of the Forest. Slowly dying, but approximately 2000 years old.