A spaniel – Rhys Jones - has been trained to sniff out a highly aggressive pest: the Argentine Ant.
The dog's trainer, Brian Shields, said Argentine ants were notorious for attacking native bird species.
These ants were first detected in 1990 and have spread throughout the North Island and to Nelson and Christchurch in the South.
They’re a big threat to our native birds and insects because they compete aggressively for food with insects and attack baby birds.
Rhys Jones is the first dog in New Zealand to be trained to sniff out ants.
He's able to find these ants by zoning in on the scent trail they leave when they move from their nest to food sources.
“When he smells one, he’ll sit and get a reward” Shields says.
To find out more about Argentine Ants go here
