Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, in partnership with Working Dogs for Conservation, will host trained dogs that will raise awareness about Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). Tobias will be in Yellowstone July 19-31, and Jax will be in Grand Teton July 20-August 3. While in the parks, the dogs and handlers will assist AIS boat inspectors by sniffing out zebra and quagga mussels and participate in public events.
AIS pose a grave and growing threat to the parks, the surrounding ecosystem, and visitor recreation for these reasons:
* In 2016, non-native mussels were detected in Montana. This underscores the urgent need to prevent these and other destructive species from entering the parks.
* AIS can completely transform habitats for native species, introduce disease,
out-compete native species, alter food chains, change the physical characteristics of
bodies of water, damage equipment, devastate water-delivery systems, and negatively
impact local/regional economies.
* Eradication is usually impossible and management is very costly.
The public are invited to learn about AIS and meet the dogs. Join us in:
Grand Teton National Park
Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose
Programs will begin outside of the visitor center at 1 p.m. and will last approximately 30 minutes.
* July 21, 28, 30
* August 2
Yellowstone National Park
Grant Village Visitor Center Parking Lot
The dog, with a handler, and AIS inspection staff will be at the parking lot from 8 a.m. to noon.
* July 19, 20, 21, 23, 24
Bridge Bay Marina
The dog, with a handler, and AIS inspection staff will be at the marina from 8 a.m. to noon.
* July 26, 27, 28, 30, 31
Grant Village Campground
The dog, with a handler, and park ranger will rove the campground from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
* July 19, 20, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 31
Prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species! Clean, Drain, and Dry.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
