By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-10-15 12:01:24 | Updated at 2026-10-16 09:35:29
21 hours ago
A dog has been named the "animal of the year" for hunting an invasive "sea vomit" in the Scottish highlands.
The black Labrador is being honoured today by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) for his marine conservation efforts.
Sgiath (pronounced Skee-ah) will collect the award alongside her handler, Glasgow-born marine ecologist Dr Texa Sim, at IFAW's Animal Action Awards ceremony at Bafta London.
The six-year-old dog is thought to be the first in the world trained to track down a destructive invasive marine organism known as carpet sea squirt or "sea vomit".
Dr Sim, who is based near Glencoe, has owned Sgiath since puppyhood.
The Labrador was originally trained for mountain rescue before Dr Sim leapt on an opportunity to apply her detection abilities to marine conservation.
"She's a natural," Dr Sim beamed.
Carpet sea squirt, formally called Didemnum vexillum, is believed by marine experts to have originated in Japan.
It first reached the coasts of southern England and Wales in 2008 and has since spread to multiple seaside locations around the UK.
The organism ranges in colour from orange to cream and can resemble slime clinging to seaweed, pontoons and oyster cages.
It reproduces rapidly in warmer summer months and rising sea temperatures are fuelling concerns it could expand its range further.
The species smothers native wildlife and poses a serious threat to oyster farms and other aquaculture operations.
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Dr Martyn Kurr, a marine biologist at Bangor University, said non-native "biofouling" species like carpet sea squirt can outcompete indigenous marine life for nutrients.
"These species also clog up aquaculture pens, marine infrastructure, and machinery such as boat propellors," he explained.
Controlling and removing such invasive marine organisms costs millions of pounds annually across Europe.
At low tide, Sgiath wades along the shoreline sniffing out tiny fragments of the species on boat hulls, fishing gear and ropes.
Dr Sim says the dog never gets it wrong when identifying sea squirt, even when it is concealed among other marine life.
"When I first started this project, I genuinely didn't know whether it would work," said Dr Sim.
"No one had really explored whether dogs could help tackle this problem in the marine environment. It began as a proof-of-concept project and has exceeded every expectation I had."
"She just does a survey with her nose, essentially, she can pinpoint exactly where it is, so it's much easier," she said.
Unlike her mountain rescue work, where she barks to signal a find, Sgiath uses a "passive indication" when locating sea squirt.
Sharon Livermore, IFAW's Director of Marine Conservation, said: "Every year, the Animal of the Year award celebrates animals doing extraordinary things, but Sgiath's story is like nothing we've seen before.
"Her trailblazing work demonstrates the remarkable potential of dogs to contribute to conservation science in entirely new ways.
"This summer's heatwaves have meant warmer seas, creating a hotbed for invasive species to spread, so early detections are critical.
"For her life-saving abilities as a mountain rescue dog alone, Sgiath would be worthy of recognition. But by helping to pioneer a world-first approach to detecting invasive marine species, she has placed herself in a league of her own."
Sgiath now works alongside a younger protégé called Uisge, a three-year-old Labrador who has quickly picked up the same detection skills.
