Two English springer spaniels have been delivered to Western Australia to help combat Phytophthora dieback, a disease described as the greatest threat to native flora in the State’s south-west.
Milo and Kelly will work with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions’ (DBCA) Plant Diseases Program as part of the national Saving Native Species project. The dogs have been trained to detect Phytophthora cinnamomi, the pathogen that causes dieback.
DBCA received $1.3 million in federal funding to expand the detector dog program following successful trials in New South Wales. Milo has been partnered with Liam Brown of Glevan Consulting, while Kelly has been partnered with Megan Barnes of Detection for Good.
Matthew Swinbourn, Western Australian Environment Minister said, it’s fantastic that WA is leading the way in this tri-State initiative to protect our threatened species and biodiversity from the scourge of dieback.
“These energetic and friendly dogs have the capacity to deliver cost-effective rapid detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi in both the lab and the field.”
Murray Watt, Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, said Phytophthora dieback is one of the greatest plant disease threats to Australia’s natural environment. It spreads easily in infested dirt or mud carried in vehicles, boots and equipment.
“Detector dogs are a game-changer in protecting threatened species. By identifying disease-free sites, they help safeguard threatened plants like Foote’s Grevillea – one of 30 priority species in the Albanese Government’s Threatened Species Action Plan.”
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