Dogs Assist in Ornate Box Turtle Research

Scientists in the State of Wisconsin called on four Boykin Spaniels in the state’s first official dog-assisted turtle search. The Boykin Spaniels have been trained to find Ornate Box Turtles a species currently on the endangered list. The Boykin Spaniels were trained to followed the turtles’ scent trail, pick them up and deliver them unharmed to the Scientist. On the day in May that they were sent out to hunt the spaniels were successful almost immediately.

According to JSOnline In 90 minutes, the dogs found 19 Ornate Box Turtles. Fifteen people searching the same property at the same time found just one turtle. Ornate Box Turtles are about 5 inches long and are found in grassy and brushy habitat and often burrow into the ground. Making it very difficult for scientists to not only find them but know exactly how many there are. Estimates are that there is somewhere around 1,000 in all of Wisconsin. This species of turtle can live to be about 60 years old but when the prairie land in the middle of the country was made into farm land the turtles lost their habitat. The turtles were dwindling in number but their biggest predator is cars when they are trying to cross roads that have been put i the middle of their remaining habitat.

The good news for scientists that study turtles is that a man named John Ruckert who owns Boykin Spaniels that are know for their bird hunting skills was able to teach the dogs to learn to hunt the turtles. Ruckert is a turtle enthusiast and realized that his home was in a perfect area to go out and see the turtle in the natural habitat and study them. What started off as a hobby that Ruckert would do with his dogs on occasion has through word of mouth found them quite busy assisting scientist in locating turtles. The Boykin Spaniels have been called on by several Universities and other Scientific Institutions to help them find different breeds of Box Turtles.

During their trip to Wisconsin Ruckert’s dogs were able to find 60 Ornate Box Turtles in the 5 days that they spent in the state.

Here is a video of Boykin Spaniels from another Turtle Research Hunt they did several years ago:

Boykin Spaniels are a breed native to South Carolina. They are a medium sized Spaniel bred to hunt Wild Turkeys and Ducks. Boykin Spaniels can range in color from Gold to Amber. Like other Spaniels the Boykin Spaniel wants to be with its family likes to be with other dogs and does very well with children. They do best with an active outdoor family that will allow them to do what they do best.

Due to the dog’s success they have already been invited to come back and spend some more time looking for the Ornate Box Turtle to help researchers determine if there might actually be a larger population then previously thought or if the dogs noses are just that good at scenting the turtles.