Sgiath the labrador sniffs out 'sea vomit' — and is named animal of the year

On Scottish beaches at low tide, a six-year-old black labrador named Sgiath (pronounced Skee-ah) does something no UK dog has done before: she sniffs out the carpet sea squirt, a fast-spreading invasive species nicknamed 'sea vomit' that can smother native wildlife. Trained first for mountain rescue by her owner, marine ecologist Texa Sim, Sgiath now freezes in a quiet stare wherever the pest hides — and she is always right. The International Fund for Animal Welfare honours her as its animal of the year on 15 October.

SDG 15 · Life on land