Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. A study published November 4, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One by Annegret Grimm- Seyfarth at Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany, and colleagues found that with training, volunteer dog-handler-teams could locate invasive species in the wild with 75% accuracy.
Measures to combat IAS are costly and time-consuming. However, the lack of effective, early detection methods has limited ecologists' ability to control IAS colonization in new locations. In order to develop effective, accessible ways to detect invasive species, researchers conducted a feasibility evaluation of a volunteer dog-handler training program, analyzing the factors associated with successful training outcomes. They trained 31 dogs and their owners between 2021 and 2023 using 3 invasive plant species. The training culminated with a field test of the dogs' ability to locate target species in the wild.
Of the 12 teams that completed the field test, 11 teams passed, with an average detection success rate of 75%. From the feasibility study, the researchers developed a set of recommendations to improve effectiveness of future, similar projects to improve volunteer selection and coordination, dog training, and initial deployments.
According to the authors, "This pilot project seems to be one of the rare volunteer-based wildlife detection dog (WDD) projects with the precise aim to detect IAS in the field and not in experiments. The results show that it is generally possible to train volunteer WDD teams to detect invasive alien plants, enabling dogs to identify target species reliably".
The authors add: "Our study shows that trained volunteer dog-handler teams have real potential to support the early detection of invasive plants. By combining dogs' remarkable sense of smell with the enthusiasm of citizen scientists, we could expand monitoring efforts — provided that teams receive appropriate training and expert guidance."
"What we find particularly exciting is the opportunity to turn something people already love doing — spending time outdoors with their dogs — into a meaningful contribution to biodiversity conservation. With the right training, everyday walks could become an additional resource for detecting invasive plants early."
"Enthusiasm is a great starting point, but reliable monitoring requires more than a good nose. Our research highlights the importance of carefully designed training and continued guidance from both dog-training and ecological experts to help volunteer teams succeed in real deployments."
"It was great to see how much enthusiasm and motivation many of the participants brought to the program and to be able to support them and watch them grow as teams over such a long period of time."
In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS One: https://plos.io/3VQTz8e
Citation: Grimm-Seyfarth A, Harms W, Koch VP, Haack N, Harpke A, Krauss K, et al. (2026) Opportunities and challenges in training volunteer wildlife detection dog-handler teams for invasive plant monitoring. PLoS One 21(11): e0359003. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359003
Author countries: Germany.
Funding: This study was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, grant number 01BF2113B. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
