With specially trained dogs, Deutsche Bahn wants to strengthen species protection along its rail network and is receiving support from the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich. The four-legged friends sniff out particularly protected animal species such as smooth snakes, yellow-bellied toads and bats. The railway can react to this in the case of construction projects on its routes.
Six species protection dogs are being trained for this purpose. Employees at Hellabrunn Zoo used outdoor terrariums to collect, for example, droppings, skins or egg shells from sand lizards. The dogs learn to recognize the lizards by their smell.
“The sand lizard population continues to decline,” said Hellabrunn curator Lena Bockreiß. Sand lizards are relatively adaptable to their respective habitat and are native to all German federal states. The endangered animals would be bred in Hellabrunn Zoo.
Species and nature protection are among the main tasks of a modern zoo, which is why Hellabrunn is happy to support the project, says Bockreiß. Zoo director Rasem Baban added: The “solidarity with players from completely different industries” in national and international species protection makes him proud. The first species protection dogs are to be used in Bavaria as part of the pilot project from the beginning of 2022.