Residents enlist unlikely helper to battle snakes taking over island community: 'There are millions of ideal hiding places for them'

Residents enlist unlikely helper to battle snakes taking over island community: 'There are millions of ideal hiding places for them'

Juliana Marino

Thu, January 15, 2026 at 7:30 PM UTC

2 min read

Residents enlist unlikely helper to battle snakes taking over island community: 'There are millions of ideal hiding places for them' — Photo Credit: iStock

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On the Spanish island of Ibiza, an unlikely hero is combating the region's invasive species crisis. Boira, a German shepherd-border collie mix, has been trained to catch invasive snakes threatening the island's native lizard populations.

With lots of patience, Boira's owner, Tomás Planells Struse, taught her how to sniff out the snakes that hide throughout the island, La Voz de Ibiza reported.

Two types of invasive snakes, the horseshoe whip snake and ladder snake, were unintentionally introduced to Ibiza through the import of olive trees. Despite trapping initiatives, the snakes have persisted, spreading quickly across the island and threatening the region's bird and insect populations.

One of the main problems with invasive species, such as these snakes in Ibiza, is that they lack natural predators when introduced to a new place. As a result, they cause major ecological disruptions by throwing off the balance of the food chain.

"[The snakes] go on land, climb, swim," Struse told La Voz de Ibiza. "And on top of that, they are fast. And there are millions of ideal hiding places for them."

That's where Boira comes in. Over time, Struse trained her to find the snakes in rock walls. Struse places his hand on one of the walls and says, "Fetch." That word signals to Boira that it's time to sniff out and find the hiding snakes.

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell thanks to the 100 million sensory receptors in their nasal cavities. As a result, they can use their noses as a tool to help officials detect and combat invasive species. Across the globe, conservationists are training canines to locate elusive species that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Struse emphasized that what he and Boira are doing is something others can do as well.

"I call and encourage everyone to have a trap, or a dog, or something to help control and eradicate snakes on the island," he said.

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