Photo: Northland Regional Council
When Shaka - the Hungarian Vizsla cross German Short Haired Pointer - is at home, he's just a regular family dog.
But when he dons his fluoro orange vest and yellow muzzle - he's on the job.
Shaka is training to be Northland Regional Council's first professional working possum dog.
The introduction of Shaka as a possum eradication tool comes after three years of planning and discussion with community groups as part of the Predator Free Whangārei Possum Elimination project.
The project aims to remove possums from more than 9000 hectares across the Whangārei Heads peninsula, which is home to a growing Kiwi population.
Shaka's owner and trainer Gaelyn Dewhurst speaks to Kathryn Ryan.
