Scientists have made an exciting breakthrough for one of North America’s rarest mammals. 

After detection dogs located 85 scat samples in California’s Lassen region, researchers found promising evidence that the critically endangered Sierra Nevada red fox is still holding on. 

According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, estimates suggest that only 18 to 39 foxes remain in the wild — so every confirmed detection is significant. 

Detection dogs have long been known for locating explosives and missing persons, but they are increasingly helping researchers pinpoint biological markers, such as scat and scent trails, that humans often can’t find. 

This humane approach allows scientists to map the presence of elusive species without disturbing them, giving endangered animals a better chance at recovery.

As Pete Coppolillo, the executive director for Working Dogs for Conservation, put it, “Our field in the last 15 years has just exploded.”

The red fox plays an important ecological role: as a predator of rodents and small mammals, it helps to regulate prey populations and support the health of surrounding plant communities. 

The Center for Biological Diversity has expressed concern about the fox’s vulnerability to inbreeding, hybridization, and other pressures associated with extremely small populations, as the loss of this species could trigger cascading ecosystem effects. 

Genetic testing of the scat is now underway at UC Davis. The testing could confirm new individual foxes and provide land managers with crucial insights into how to strengthen recovery plans.

Detection dogs also protect communities by identifying invasive species early, preventing economic and environmental damage. 

Working Dogs for Conservation has already trained teams to detect invasive species such as Scotch broom in New York, knapweed in Montana, salt cedar and perennial pepperweed in Wyoming, yellow thistle in Colorado, and even destructive quagga and zebra mussels on boats.

Overall, this particular breakthrough provides hope for future dog detection missions and gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “man’s best friend.”

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RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The Nevada Army National Guard hosted their groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on the Nevada Army National Guard qualification training range.

When completed, the range will become the only department of the army approved qualification range in the state of Nevada.

The project has been in the works for years, and those who have had a hand in it say this has been a long time coming.

“I’ve been working on it for about eight years myself. And there’s a couple of the other individuals that are standing around in the background over here that have been working on it even longer. So, it’s been about 10, 12 years that we’ve been trying to get this thing together,” says Major Jacob Sanford, Deputy G3 with the NV Army National Guard.

The new range will allow Nevada soldiers to meet military marksmanship standards without having to leave the state

Since 2019, the Nevada army guard has sent more than 1,000 soldiers to neighboring states annually for marksmanship qualifying.

Which is an expensive task and keeping this in state will create economic benefits for Nevada.

“So we’re very much looking forward to what we’re gonna be able to do out here and be able to train about 12,000 soldiers a year out here. Economically, it’s gonna be a great boon for the state. We’re gonna be able to embolden the Mineral County and the Hawthorne community out here,” says Sanford.

“They’re working together, training together. It’s only going to just benefit our community of Hawthorne, our service community, our National Guard, but I would say our entire country,” says Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen, who NV Army National Guard personnel say had a major role in getting the funding necessary for this range.

Units spend up to four training days annually and. The four days equated to more than 15 percent of the unit’s allocated training days and significantly impacted on the soldiers’ ability to train on other tasks.

The new $20 million Hawthorne Army Depot Record Fire Range facility will include 16 lanes for rifle training, 15 for pistol, four machine gun lanes (up to M240) and seven buildings. Four full-time U.S. Army, federal employees will maintain operations at the range.

“It’s just one of those things that Nevadans have known, but the fact that other people are figuring it out is like, hey, we can do that out there, let’s do that,” says Congressman Mark Amodei.

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