Freya, an English Springer Spaniel, has been trained to detect crested newts
Nick Upton for Wessex Water
Crested salamanders are endangered amphibians living in lowland areas of England, but their subterranean lifestyle makes them difficult to find. Scientists have now trained a dog to track down the endangered salamanders even when they are far away or deep underground, which could boost conservation efforts.
Because crested newts (Triturus cristatus) nest in underground burrows and rock crevices as adults, they are incredibly hard to find. As a result, researchers know a…