Study Overview:

San Francisco garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) are listed as endangered by both California state and federal government. This subspecies of Thamnophis sirtalis is an endemic species, found only on the San Francisco peninsula from near the southern San Francisco County line south to Rancho del Oso State Park in Santa Cruz County. The habitat of this snake has declined severely due to urban development, agricultural land use and altering of the waterways needed by this species. These habitat changes have also reduced populations of one of this snake’s main food sources, the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii). Some authorities believe that the remaining fragmented populations of this snake could be further threatened by over-collecting for the pet trade.

Due to their cryptic nature, it is nearly impossible for biologists to determine if SFGS are active or currently present without implementing trapping methods. These methods can be costly, time consuming, and disruptive to the snakes. With the high level of protection these special snakes carry, it is vitally important that they are detected and effectively avoided during any and all human-related activities. The deployment of specially trained ecological scent detection dogs to search and indicate the presence of SFGS amongst wood piles and burrows in potential work sites is a promising tool in the work to protect and recover this beautiful Bay area native.

K9inSCENTive was tasked with the training of a single SFGS scent detection dog to assist biologists in the effective identification of SFGS individuals and potential populations throughout the Peninsula. The dog, a petite Malinois named Muon, has deployed over consecutive three spring/summer seasons on multiple project sites both for maintenance wildlife protection and for biological study.