Skip to content
  • logo
  • logo
  • Real Estate
    • Development
  • Restaurants
  • Calendar
    • Add an event
  • Tell JP Your News
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
    • About Us

Jamaica Plain News - Fresh News for the Neighborhood You Love

Jamaica Plain News (https://www.jamaicaplainnews.com/2019/10/03/this-dog-was-trained-to-track-turtles-in-franklin-park-for-zoo/160963)

  • Real Estate
    • Development
  • Restaurants
  • Calendar
    • Add an event
  • Tell JP Your News
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
    • About Us

This Dog Was Trained to Track Turtles in Franklin Park for Zoo

By David Ertischek | October 3, 2019
LikeTweet EmailPrint More
  • More on Animals
  • Subscribe to Animals

Dogs are trained to track many, many things. Drugs, guns, prey -- but turtles? That is the case for Koda, an Australian shepherd mix.

Koda has been specifically trained to track and find eastern box turtles, which are a locally rare species in Massachusetts due to habitat loss. After a year of training, Koda got to test her her abilities in Franklin Park in late August -- and succeeded quite well!

One of her trainers went out to find turtles to make sure that Koda could find some live species, five in total, and Koda found all of them, and also one that her trainer hadn't found.

"Koda will be an invaluable team member as she will assist us in more quickly and accurately locating these turtles that we are working so hard to protect," said Christine, one of her trainers.

When Koda is not out in Franklin Park, she's a frequent zoo visitor, going on walks through the zoo several days a week in between her training and play sessions.  If you're at the zoo keep an eye out for her in her bright "Turtle Dog" vest!

Click here to learn more about Koda.

View this post on Instagram

Turtle dog on the job! After almost a year of training and learning how to track box turtles, 1.5 year old Australian shepherd mix, Koda, joined Zoo New England’s Grassroots Wildlife Conservation (GWC) team in the field for the first time on August 25. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Up until this first field adventure, Koda’s training had involved finding empty turtle shells, so this was a big step for the pup! Here’s more from one of Koda’s trainers, Christine: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “This visit to the field was the next step in Koda’s training. Typically, her training involves finding an old empty turtle shell scented with turtle bedding, so this was the first time that she encountered a living turtle! Julie, from GWC, had gone out ahead of time to make sure there were some turtles nearby for Koda to find. We wanted to set her up for success for her first time in the field. At first, Koda was a little bit nervous seeing a live turtle … it moves! Upon closer inspection, Koda realized the turtles were harmless, and she was eager to find more. Koda found six turtles on her first day in the field, which was very impressive. Julie had found five turtles ahead of time, so the sixth turtle Koda found all on her own! Koda will be continuing her training both at the Zoo, and in the field sites. The eastern box turtle is a locally rare and declining species here in Massachusetts due to habitat loss. Koda will be an invaluable team member as she will assist us in more quickly and accurately locating these turtles that we are working so hard to protect. She’s making great progress and we can’t wait to see her in action as she gets more and more confident!” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Learn more about Koda at zoonewengland.org/turtledog ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #ZooNewEngland #GrassrootsWildlifeConservation #EasternBoxTurtle #BoxTurtle #TurtleConservation #DogsOfInstagram

A post shared by Zoo New England (@zoonewengland) on Sep 5, 2019 at 9:00am PDT

 

3,177 Views
Tags
  • Animals
  • Animals
  • Dogs
  • Franklin Park
  • Franklin Park Zoo
  • Turtles
Previous Post
Hyde Jackson Jackson Square Main Street Changes Name to Three Squares Main Street JP
Next Post
Jamaica Plain Author Receives Award for Children's Book about Segregation

JAMAICA PLAIN EVENTS

Loading view.
  • January 2023

Calendar of Events

M Mon

T Tue

W Wed

T Thu

F Fri

S Sat

S Sun

0 events, 26

0 events, 27

0 events, 28

0 events, 29

0 events, 30

0 events, 31

0 events, 1

0 events, 2

0 events, 3

0 events, 4

1 event, 5

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

January Vigil in Support of Black Lives Matter

January 5 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

January Vigil in Support of Black Lives Matter

Everyone is warmly invited to participate in the January Vigil in Support of Black Lives Matter, on Thursday, January 5, from 5:30-6:30 pm on the lawn of the First Baptist […]

0 events, 6

0 events, 7

1 event, 8

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Winter Wellness Walk

January 8 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Winter Wellness Walk

Stay connected to nature and enjoy the health benefits of a winter walk at the Arnold Arboretum. Docents will cover seasonal interest, Arboretum history, and our plant collections. Please dress […]

0 events, 9

1 event, 10

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Lecture: Bird Bills

January 10 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Lecture: Bird Bills

Bird bills come in all sorts of sizes and shapes, from the needle-like bills of swallows for picking insects out of the air, to hummingbirds' long and curved bills for […]

0 events, 11

1 event, 12

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Tree Mob: Sweet Birch

January 12 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Tree Mob: Sweet Birch

It looks like a cherry tree, it smells like root beer, but it is, in fact, the beautiful and aromatic sweet birch. Join Horticulturist Brendan Keegan to learn about this […]

0 events, 13

0 events, 14

1 event, 15

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Family Hike: Evergreens!

January 15 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Family Hike: Evergreens!

Spruces and hemlocks and pines, oh my! Take a walk and use a hand lens to see the intricacies of evergreen needles and cones. You will be surprised at something you’ve never […]

0 events, 16

0 events, 17

0 events, 18

0 events, 19

0 events, 20

2 events, 21

11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Learn About Ice Harvesting on Jamaica Pond

January 21 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Learn About Ice Harvesting on Jamaica Pond

Back by popular demand, this talk will explore the history of ice harvesting on Jamaica Pond. Before the 19th century, ice was a commodity available only to the very rich […]

12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Open House: Arboretum Entrance Improvement Project

January 21 @ 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Open House: Arboretum Entrance Improvement Project

Open House: Arboretum Entrance Improvement Project Saturday, January 21, 12-3pm Location: Weld Hill Research Building, 1300 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131 Please join the Arboretum and landscape design firm Michael […]

1 event, 22

10:00 am - 11:00 am

Barking Up the Right Tree: A Tour of Bark Diversity at the Arboretum

January 22 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Barking Up the Right Tree: A Tour of Bark Diversity at the Arboretum

What is there to see at the Arboretum after all of the leaves have fallen and before spring flowers start to bloom? Bark! Shaggy bark, mottled bark, striped bark: the […]

0 events, 23

0 events, 24

0 events, 25

1 event, 26

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Book Talk: Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart

January 26 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Book Talk: Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart

In her New York Times bestseller Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities, Amy Stewart takes on Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A […]

0 events, 27

1 event, 28

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Overstory: A Participatory Read Aloud

January 28 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Overstory: A Participatory Read Aloud

Join a participatory, in-person read-aloud of excerpts from Richard Powers’ tree-inspired novel The Overstory hosted by the Arnold Arboretum. The read-aloud will take place on Saturday, January 28, between 1pm and 4pm, within the exhibition […]

0 events, 29

0 events, 30

0 events, 31

0 events, 1

0 events, 2

0 events, 3

0 events, 4

1 event, 5

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Learn About The History of St John’s Episcopal Church, Jamaica Plain

February 5 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Learn About The History of St John’s Episcopal Church, Jamaica Plain

Katharine Cipolla, Parish Historian, will present a survey of the historic building from her recent book A History of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, The First Century. St. […]

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
January 5
January 5 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

January Vigil in Support of Black Lives Matter

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
January 8
January 8 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Winter Wellness Walk

  • There are no events on this day.
January 10
January 10 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Lecture: Bird Bills

  • There are no events on this day.
January 12
January 12 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Tree Mob: Sweet Birch

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
January 15
January 15 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Family Hike: Evergreens!

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
January 21
January 21 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Learn About Ice Harvesting on Jamaica Pond

January 21 @ 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Open House: Arboretum Entrance Improvement Project

January 22
January 22 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Barking Up the Right Tree: A Tour of Bark Diversity at the Arboretum

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
January 26
January 26 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Book Talk: Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart

January 28
January 28 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Overstory: A Participatory Read Aloud

February 5
February 5 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Learn About The History of St John’s Episcopal Church, Jamaica Plain

January 28
January 28 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Overstory: A Participatory Read Aloud

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
February 5
February 5 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Learn About The History of St John’s Episcopal Church, Jamaica Plain

View Calendar

Recent Comments

Tweets by @02130News

ABOUT JAMAICA PLAIN NEWS

Jamaica Plain News is an independent online news source and community platform for the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.

David Ertischek

Our publisher David Ertischek has been a community journalist for more than 18 years. He has been the editor and reporter for local newspapers and websites. He has lived in Jamaica Plain since 2002. His favorite thing about Jamaica Plain is the Arnold Arboretum.

Jamaica Plain News is supported by advertising from local businesses. Please click here to learn more about advertising on Jamaica Plain News or email David Ertischek at david@jamaicaplainnews.com.

Other Recent Posts

  • MBTA Orange Line Suspended Between North Station and Ruggles This Weekend

  • Diversity Consignment Recycles Clothing and Customers (Can) Make Money, Too

  • Fireside Tavern to Make Way for 9-Unit, Mixed Use Apartment Building

  • Get Your Tix Now for Galentine’s Wine & Chocolate Tour

  • Jamaica Plain’s Hutzler Stars in CCT’s ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!’

  • 5 Proposed Design Concepts To Be Revealed During Arnold Arboretum Entrance Improvement Meeting on Jan. 21

  • What Do You Want to See In This Empty Centre Street Storefront?

  • Next Flaherty Playground Renovations Plan to Include Dog Area at Feb. 7 Meeting

  • Heath Street Water Main Break Collapses Road, Floods Streets

  • Jamaica Plain Realtors Provide Their Market Outlook for 2023

  • Stony Brook Playground & Spray Deck Closed Into Summer for Renovations

  • Another Bank Coming to Centre Street: TD Bank to Open Branch

  • Bukhara Looks Like It Closed: Space Available Immediately to Lease

  • Old Orange Line Cars May Ride Rails Again!

  • Video: Why Did The Coyote Cross Centre Street?

Get Our Free Daily Newsletter

© Copyright 2023, Jamaica Plain News

Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News.

Back to top ↑