[Pollinator] Bumble bee sniffer dog!

[Matthew Shepherd (Xerces Society)]

Meet Quinn, a dog with a nose for saving bees.
7/20/06
Full article in Glasgow Evening Times, at: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5054987.html

A sniffer dog is to roam a Scottish island in an attempt to save the UK's most endangered bumblebees from extinction. 

For the next five weeks, Quinn, a specially trained Springer Spaniel, will walk the remote terrain of Tiree, in the Inner Hebrides, tracking down colonies of the insects. 

The unusual project, thought to be the first of its kind in the world, has been launched by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. The group wants to find out how many rare bees are left and what can be done to protect them. 

Quinn, a former stray, was taken from a rescue centre and trained with other dogs at the Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. While most of his canine colleagues have been taught to hunt for illegal drugs and explosives, Quinn has been taught to nose out bee nests. 
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The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Protecting wildlife through science-based advocacy, education, 
and conservation projects since 1971. To join the Society, make a 
contribution, or read about our work, please visit www.xerces.org.

Matthew Shepherd
Director, Pollinator Conservation Program
4828 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR 97215, USA
Tel: 503-232 6639 Fax: 503-233 6794
Email: mdshepherd at xerces.org 
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