Authors: Grimm-Seyfarth, Annegret; Harms, Wiebke;

Amphibians are important to research, conservation and landscape planning. Their aquatic detection is well established, but terrestrial detection remains complicated. One possibility is the use of trained detection dogs. While reptile detection dogs are well documented in science, the use of amphibian detection dogs remains understudied, especially in Europe. We trained a detection dog to search for crested (Triturus cristatus) and pond newts (Lissotriton vulgaris) in their terrestrial habitats. First, we assessed the dog in 101 blind tests, where he had to find and safely alert at a previously hidden newt. Second, the dog was deployed six times on each of seven natural transects and compared to visual surveys of those transects and artificial retreats. In the assessment, the dog achieved a detection rate of 92%. Detection rates were temperature and habitat dependent and slightly higher for crested newts and for males. On the natural transects, the dog detected 163 retreats, while no other method was able to detect newts on land. Newts preferred high vegetation cover, small burrows and roots of large trees. When environmental factors are considered, the use of professionally trained amphibian detection dogs will improve data collection for research, conservation and management.