A three-year-old canine named Google has been enlisted to help researchers track and study jaguars in the Amazon rain forest and parts of Mexico. The dog is currently training at Zoo Miami, according to the Miami Herald.
Many people would likely turn up their noses at the job Google has to do, as the dog's training involves sniffing droppings of jaguars. However, the canine's sensitive nose will hopefully help researchers gain a better understanding of the enigmatic cat.
"One way to examine [jaguars] and study them is by examining their poop, as gross as it sounds," Ron Magill, director of communications and media relations at Zoo Miami, told the news source. "Having a dog [who] can track this cat is priceless."
It appears as thought Google excels at his task. His trainer, Carlos Orozco, told the news organization that the pooch has abilities that other dogs don't possess. He added that he will be sure to keep Google safe when it comes time to start searching the jungles.
The dog's ability to find jaguar droppings will help researchers learn more about their diet, the number of jaguars living in the wild and whether or not different groups of the big cats mate with one another.