Alberta adds dogs Hilo, Jane and Winnie to invasive mussel detection team
Provincial officials are expanding their canine unit trained to sniff out invasive mussels before they can spread to Alberta lakes and rivers.
Why it matters
Invasive mussels can damage aquatic ecosystems and infrastructure, so early detection helps protect Alberta's lakes and rivers from long-term environmental and economic harm.
Alberta has recruited three more detection dogs — Hilo, Jane and Winnie — to help guard the province's waterways against invasive mussels, according to provincial officials.
Zebra and quagga mussels have spread through the Great Lakes and other Canadian waterways since the 1980s, and Alberta has worked to keep them out of its lakes and rivers. The dogs are trained to detect the mussels, which can attach to boats and other watercraft, allowing inspectors to catch contaminated equipment before it reaches provincial waters.
The canine unit is part of Alberta's broader invasive species prevention program, which relies on watercraft inspections at stations across the province during the boating season.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.