Grand Canyon National Park has a new four-legged employee with an important job. Blue, a specially trained Catahoula leopard hound, is helping reduce encounters between visitors and wildlife, including elk and bighorn sheep.

Blue uses barking and controlled herding techniques to encourage wildlife to move away from busy areas such as the Visitor Center and El Tovar. She always works on a leash and never makes physical contact with the animals.

Blue is part of a three-year pilot program designed to encourage more natural wildlife behavior while improving visitor safety. Officials are tracking wildlife movements to see whether the conservation K-9 can help keep both people and animals safer.

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