Dogs, Drones and Sound Detectors: How Rescuers Search for Earthquake Survivors

Ivory – specially trained search dogs used to sniff out victims’ locations – has been involved in relief efforts following earthquakes in Haiti, Japan and Nepal.

Even when buried up to 10 meters (32.8 feet) under rubble, they can detect human scent – and when they do, they emit a “really strong and continuous bark”, warning potential predators.

The dogs were trained using human-scented toys, Ivory explains. Then when they find someone on the ground, they give them the toy as a reward.

Sakthi Selvakumaran of UK-based charity Search and Rescue Aid in Disaster (SARAID) deploys its staff to major disasters worldwide.

“They can find difficult paths to walk through the rubble to follow a scent or identify different access points of a victim,” Selvakuran told the BBC.