CMU researchers are working with collies to reduce the level of E. coli in water and sand.

Dogs used to chase away gulls to cut E. coli levels in sand and water

Border collies have been set to patrol beaches in west Michigan, helping to reduce bacteria levels by keeping gulls away.

A team of five research students from the Central Michigan University (CMU) worked on four beaches in Ottowa County last year.

They aimed to find out whether collies could keep gulls away from the beach and if this would reduce the levels of E. coli and other pathogens in sand and water.

Findings suggest that border collies are effective in reducing the number of gulls on beaches, and in turn, E.coli levels are reduced in the sand if gulls are removed early in the beach season.

Leading the two-year study is CMU's Elizabeth Alm. She says: "The gull population in the Great Lakes has exceeded historic levels.

"The large numbers of gulls attracted to public beaches are not only a nuisance, but microorganisms from gull droppings interfere with water quality monitoring and may pose a risk to public health."

Members of the public and beach managers have voiced concern over the number of gulls on public beaches, due to health and safety as well as the economic impact.

Students were trained as handlers for two border collies who were leased for the project. The pair had been trained to chase geese and other birds.

Sand and water samples from the beaches were tested for levels of E.coli and other bacteria. The team also tallied the number of gulls visiting the beaches each day.

Researchers found that in early summer, samples from beaches where the dogs had chased away gulls had significantly lower E. coli counts compared to the control beaches.

Dr Alm told the BBC about their findings: "If the E. coli establish in the sand early in the season, they appear to be able to persist, and probably even grow in the sand so that even though the dogs can remove the gulls from the beach later in the season, this late reduction in gulls does not translate in to a late season reduction in E. coli."

CMU biology graduate Dusty Jordan said: "Gulls have been found to carry a lot of bacteria and other pathogens in their faeces, so having them on the beach in such large numbers is a health hazard."

Image courtesy of CMU