Black Labrador Sgiath Named Animal of the Year for Sniffing Out Invasive 'Sea Vomit'
On October 15, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) honored a 6-year-old black Labrador named Sgiath as Animal of the Year. Partnered with marine ecologist Texa Sim in the Scottish Highlands, Sgiath is thought to be the first canine trained to identify the invasive carpet sea squirt, Didemnum vexillum. Initially trained for mountain rescue, she has discovered numerous colonies along the Scottish coastline. Her 3-year-old Labrador protégé, Uisge, has recently joined her efforts. Since its arrival in the UK in 2008, the carpet sea squirt has posed significant ecological risks and is challenging to detect without lab testing. IFAW's Sharon Livermore commended Sgiath for her exceptional role in conservation.
Key facts
- Sgiath, a 6-year-old black Labrador from the Scottish Highlands, was named Animal of the Year by the International Fund for Animal Welfare on October 15
- She is believed to be the first dog trained to detect the carpet sea squirt, formally Didemnum vexillum, nicknamed 'sea vomit'
- Handler Texa Sim is a marine ecologist based near Glencoe, Scotland
- Sgiath has sniffed out hundreds of colonies, working through seaweed on pontoons and oyster cages
- A 3-year-old Labrador named Uisge has joined as a protégé sniffer
- The carpet sea squirt first appeared in the United Kingdom in 2008, likely arriving on ships from Japan
- In 1969 an unchecked carpet sea squirt population nearly decimated Portuguese oysters off Portugal and France
- Traditional identification uses laboratory analysis and DNA testing; dogs offer a faster, less invasive alternative
Entities
Artists
- Texa Sim
- Sharon Livermore
- Martyn Kurr
- Alice Whitelaw
- Kate Stephens
- Victoria Gill
- Holly Evans
- Sarah Hooper
- Katherine Manwell
Institutions
- International Fund for Animal Welfare
- BBC News
- Bangor University
- Working Dogs for Conservation
- Metro
- The Independent
- Midstory
Locations
- Scottish Highlands
- Scotland
- Glencoe
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- Wales
- Portugal
- France
- Europe
- Ireland