How Sgiath the dog detects invasive sea vomit

A Scottish Labrador uses her nose to locate carpet sea squirt colonies that can smother native marine life and threaten aquaculture.

Nature & AnimalsOctober 15, 20263 min readHow Sureno writes this

The short version

Sgiath, a Labrador handled by marine ecologist Dr Texa Sim, has been trained to find carpet sea squirt by scent. ¹²
The sea squirt, Didemnum vexillum, can smother native species and spread across harbours and marine infrastructure. ²³
Sgiath searches coastal areas at low tide and has found hundreds of colonies, according to reports. ¹⁴
Her role is to help locate suspected growths; the sources do not show that a dog can remove or control colonies by itself. ¹²

How can a dog detect sea vomit?

Sgiath has learned to recognise the scent of carpet sea squirt, also called sea vomit. The species’ scientific name is Didemnum vexillum. Her handler, Dr Texa Sim, is a marine ecologist who trained the Labrador to search for it during coastal surveys. ¹²

At low tide, Sgiath sniffs along the shore and indicates places where she detects the organism. Reports say she has found hundreds of colonies. The sources describe her as a detection aid, not as a means of removing the sea squirt. ¹³

What is carpet sea squirt, or sea vomit?

Carpet sea squirt is an invasive marine organism. The nickname “sea vomit” refers to the same species, not to an illness. Reports say it can spread across harbours, oyster farms and other marine structures, where colonies may cover native wildlife. ¹²³

If colonies become widespread, they can be difficult and costly to manage, and they may threaten aquaculture businesses. Aquaculture means farming aquatic animals or plants, such as oysters. ³

How could Sgiath help control its spread?

Finding colonies early gives researchers another way to monitor where the species is present. Sgiath’s scent-based searches may help locate growths that are hard to distinguish by sight, including small fragments, according to reporting on the project. ²³⁴

Detection is not the same as control. The available reports explain how Sgiath finds suspected sea squirt, but they do not set out a removal method or establish how much her work has reduced the species’ spread. Any practical response would need to follow identification and assessment by people responsible for the site. ¹²

Why use a dog instead of looking for it?

Identifying the species may require specialist laboratory analysis and DNA testing, according to The Independent. A dog can search by scent in the field and point researchers toward places to investigate, potentially making surveys more targeted. ²

The reports do not provide a head-to-head comparison of dog searches with visual surveys or laboratory testing. They also do not give figures for the time or cost saved. Sgiath’s work is presented as a promising detection approach, rather than a replacement for scientific confirmation. ²³

Who is Sgiath, and what award did she receive?

Sgiath is a black Labrador from the Scottish Highlands. She was first trained as a mountain rescue dog before Sim adapted her scent skills for marine conservation. ¹²

The International Fund for Animal Welfare named Sgiath its Animal of the Year. The reports say the award was to be presented at the charity’s Animal Action Awards ceremony on October 15, 2026. ¹³

What we don't know yet

How accurately Sgiath detects carpet sea squirt across different coastal conditions.
How her results compare with visual searches and laboratory identification.
Whether using detection dogs leads to measurable reductions in colonies or management costs.
What specific removal or control methods are used after a suspected colony is found.

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Questions people ask

What is the dog that hunts sea vomit called?

The dog is Sgiath, a black Labrador from the Scottish Highlands. She works with marine ecologist Dr Texa Sim and is trained to detect carpet sea squirt by scent. ¹²

What does sea vomit do to marine life?

Sea vomit is another name for carpet sea squirt, an invasive marine organism. Reports say it can smother native species and spread across harbours, oyster farms and marine infrastructure. ¹²³

Can Sgiath remove sea squirt colonies?

The sources describe Sgiath locating suspected colonies, not removing them. They do not specify what control measures are taken after a detection. ¹²

Why is a dog being used to find carpet sea squirt?

Sgiath can search for the organism’s scent in coastal areas. One report says identification often involves specialist laboratory analysis and DNA testing, so her indications can help researchers find places to investigate. ²

Did Sgiath win Animal of the Year?

Yes. The International Fund for Animal Welfare named Sgiath Animal of the Year and planned to present the award at its Animal Action Awards on October 15, 2026. ¹³

Sources

Dog that hunts invasive sea creature named animal of the year — BBC News
Dog that hunts invasive ‘sea vomit’ creature named animal of the year — The Independent, 2026-10-15
Dog honoured for breakthrough discovery in sniffing out invasive ‘sea vomit’ — The Herald
Scottish Labrador Wins Animal of the Year for Marine Detection — Oduu, 2026-10-15