UK - This Black Labrador in Scotland was crowned "Animal of the Year" for helping to locate an invasive marine species that threatens native sea life.

As the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) announced in a press release, Sgiath the Labrador, together with her owner Dr. Texa Sim, was roaming the Scottish Highlands.

Her mission: the dog detects the invasive Didemnum vexillum or carpet sea squirt – colloquially called "sea vomit."

Sim herself is a marine ecologist and taught her dog to recognize the pesky creatures by scent.

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Carpet sea squirts can spread rapidly in ports and overrun native marine life.

According to IFAW, the Labrador is believed to be the first dog in the world trained to locate this invasive species.

Remarkably, sea squirts are usually detectable only through specialized laboratory analyses and DNA tests.

Sgiath, originally trained as a search dog for mountain rescue, can now detect the animals by scent alone.

"When I first started this project, I genuinely didn't know whether it would work," Sim told the BBC.

"Sgiath is incredibly clever. Her problem solving and her ability to take on new challenges and learn so quickly are just phenomenal, and it's so amazing to watch," Sim enthused.

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Detection dogs are already frequently used on land to locate invasive plant and animal species.

Sim recognized the opportunity to apply the same approach in marine environments, paving an entirely new path for conservation efforts.

She said, "I’m not doing this to win awards. I’m doing it because I love working with the dogs, I love learning, and I genuinely believe this could help marine conservation. To have that recognized is an incredibly humbling."