Literaturdatenbank
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Cablk, M., & Harmon, R. (2011). Validation and development of a certification program for using k9s to survey desert tortoises Department of Defense.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (30 Jun 2012 22:00:38 UTC) |
| Resource type: Report/Documentation BibTeX citation key: Cablk2011 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Gopherus agassizii, Habitat = habitat, Nordamerika = North America, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises Creators: Cablk, Harmon, Program Publisher: Department of Defense |
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| Abstract |
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Testudinidae Gopherus agassizii This project demonstrated the ability of Desert Tortoise Canine (DTK9) teams to locate Mojave Desert Tortoises in the field at natural population densities, with an emphasis on finding small size classes. DTK9s were shown to be successful at this task. Performance objectives were evaluated in each of two phases conducted in southern Nevada: Phase I was the training and testing phase at the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center (DTCC) and Phase II was the field demonstration at Piute Valley. The objective of Phase I was to demonstrate that DTK9 teams can pass a testing regime that assesses their capability at finding tortoises under both high and low tortoise density scenarios with tortoise safety maintained throughout. Phase II demonstrated that teams deemed qualified to conduct field searches for tortoises based on meeting Phase I testing criteria performed similarly in the field, while those teams that failed to meet the testing criteria did not perform to standard in the field. Performance objectives were met and in some cases performance exceeded the criteria. Phase I included three different tests, (i) safety, (ii) high density tortoise scenario, and (iii) low density tortoise scenario. Quantitative metrics included threshold scores for safety, based on nine different behaviors, and for efficacy and reliability. Behavioral measures of safety included aggression (defensive and overt), excessive flight, play interaction, growling, barking, stalking, excessive focus and inability to relax in the presence of or aimed directly at tortoises. Efficacy is the number of targets (e.g., tortoises) found of the total available to be found. Reliability is the number of trained alerts performed by the dog divided by the total number of targets found. Both efficacy and reliability are calculated based on the first encounter with a particular tortoise. Together, efficacy and reliability are a capability metric of a team. For the high density scenario a minimum efficacy of 70% and minimum reliability of 75% were required. For the low density scenario the teams were scored as pass/fail. Handlers were required to maintain safety at all times and were required to use the in-field calibration method we termed ‘Read and Go’. All teams passed the safety test. Six of the seven teams passed the high density scenario and six passed the low density scenario. In total, five teams passed all three assessments and two teams failed the testing criteria. All teams were fielded for the Phase II demonstration that was conducted on a population of wild, transmittered desert tortoises supplemented with transmittered small tortoises in Piute Valley, Nevada, in desert tortoise critical habitat. Performance assessment was based on finding three size classes of tortoises: small (< 110 mm median carapace length (MCL)), medium (110 - 180 mm MCL) and large (> 180 mm MCL). The required efficacies to pass the assessment for these classes were 50%, 60%, and 70%, respectively with reliability of 75% for all size classes. The five teams that passed Phase I tests yielded 78% (small), 96% (medium), and 100% (large) efficacy and 90% reliability. The two teams that failed Phase I yielded 14% (small), 50% (medium), and 75% (large) efficacy and 55% reliability. The testing procedures implemented in Phase I resulted in producing teams that were both safe and capable of surveying for desert tortoises in natural field conditions, across all size classes at expected natural densities. It was also demonstrated that the testing procedures in Phase I would have eliminated teams that did not perform to required standards in the field environment. Thus the testing procedures were valid and relevant in relation to the program goals.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |