JACKSON, Wyo. — In honor of National Dog Day on Tuesday, Aug. 26, Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) is celebrating Working Dogs for Conservation and the trained canines that use their strong sense of scent to locate invasive plants along the Snake River.
“These pups aren’t just cute, they’re trained to sniff out invasive plants like salt cedar and perennial pepperweed,” GTNP wrote via Facebook.
According to GTNP, these trained canines are better than humans at detecting invasive plants. From 2020 to 2024, these pups used their noses to track down 190 new detections along the Snake River, approximately 75% more than human crews, per GTNP.
On Wednesday, Aug. 27, community members have the opportunity to meet these conservation dogs in action during a live demo at the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Watch them work, learn about invasive species, and see why these four-legged teams are some of our best conservation allies,” GTNP wrote.
The Jackson Hole Weed Management Association (JHWMA) and Teton County Weed and Pest District have been monitoring the river to eradicate high-priority species for the past 24 years. One location, found in 2023, is “likely the seed source for most of the plants found downstream,” according to JHWMA.
