Source: Radio New Zealand
Detector Gadget on Ulva Island. Matt Jones
A semi-retired specialist investigator has been called back to active duty after an intruder was discovered in a sanctuary off the coast of Rakiura Stewart Island.
Detector Gadget, a rodent sniffer dog, is patrolling Ulva Island, Te Wharawhara after a young female rat was found in a trap there earlier this month.
The island achieved predator free status in 1997 and is home to many native species including the Stewart Island brown kiwi tokoeka, the kākā, and South Island saddlebacks.
DOC said the biosecurity network had been activated with more than 300 traps and 50 cameras now operating.
Physical surveillance had also ramped up, including bringing in Detector Gadget.
Gadget’s handler, Sandy King told Checkpoint that after thorough checking from Gadget, fortunately no rats had been found on the island.
“Gadget went for a couple of walks this week, just looking at places that are high priority or areas where rats tend to gravitate to.
“There are a few buildings on the island, some houses … we spent a bit of time checking around and under those buildings and the sort of immediate environs and some of the more popular beaches and public places as well.”
King said with Gadget’s experience, she was sure if there had been a rat on the island, it would have been sniffed out.
However, Gadget’s sensitivity to rats can depend on the conditions.
“She generally picks them up from a reasonable distance away, but it does depend on which way the wind’s blowing. She’s not very tall, so her height of nose isn’t that great – a taller dog might have an advantage in some conditions.”
Detector Gadget in action detecting mice that were about to be transported to a rodent-free island. Miriam McFadgen
The Jack Russell Fox Terrier cross stands around 25cm high and being the runt of her litter only weighs in at around 5.5kg.
Despite not catching any predators in her latest mission, King said Gadget has had many successes over her career.
“The absolute career highlight was when she discovered some live mice in a bundle of building material that was about to be loaded onto a boat and to be transported to a rodent-free island. If Gadget hadn’t found that, it probably would have gone.”
It’s not only conservationists getting excited by the possibility of a pest-free environment, with Gadget’s own enthusiasm hard to ignore according to King.
“Her little tail goes round and round, a bit like an aeroplane propeller, sometimes I’m almost expecting her bottom to lift off the ground, and you can see that she is just really excited.”
Detector Gadget in action in Bluff detecting mice. Miriam McFadgen
Despite being called back to duty on Ulva Island, Gadget’s recent months have been spent easing towards retirement.
“She turned 13 in November … but she’s still fairly active and capable of doing jobs like we’ve just finished. So, yeah, she came out of retirement, dusted off her vest and muzzle and went to work.
“She’s one of those active elderly, people that still keep working.”
King said that Gadget’s official retirement is on the horizon and expects her to step back from work in about six months.
However, if people want to keep up with her adventures, she has got a keen Facebook following on her Detector Gadget page.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
