• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Trending Worldwide
  • Careers

Bom Boh

enthusiasm for knowledge

Ad example

In South Africa, Wildlife-Protection Dogs Saved 45 Rhinos From Poachers

by David Walker Leave a Comment

ShareTweet

A pack of dogs have been trained to protect South Africa’s wildlife – and have already saved 45 rhinos from being poached.

Many breeds of dog from beagles to bloodhounds have been used to protect the endangered species from poachers. The dogs begin training from birth and learn how to handle all the pressures of real operations before beginning to work at 18 months old.

Sean Viljoen, 29, based in Cape Town, South Africa, has shared photographs of the dogs in action at the Southern African Wildlife College in Greater Kruger National Park. He is the owner of a production company called Conservation Film Company and aims to use tell the stories of those on the frontline of conservation, sharing their stories of hope.

Johan van Straaten, who is a K9 Master at the college, said: ‘The data we collect for this applied learning project aimed at informing best practice, shows we have prevented approximately 45 rhino being killed since the free tracking dogs became operational in February 2018.

‘In the areas where the Southern African Wildlife College patrol, the success rate of the dogs is around 68 per cent using both on and off leash free tracking dogs, compared to between three to five per cent with no canine capacity.

‘The game changer has been the free tracking dogs who are able to track at speeds much faster than a human can in terrain where the best human trackers would lose spoor.

As such, the project is helping ensure the survival of southern Africa’s rich biodiversity and its wildlife including its rhino which have been severely impacted by wildlife crime. South Africa holds nearly 80 per cent of the world’s rhino.

‘Over the past decade over 8,000 rhino have been lost to poaching making it the country hardest hit by this poaching onslaught.’ The dogs which include a Texan Black-and-Tan Coonhounds, Belgian Malinois, Foxhounds and Blue Ticks are trained to ‘benefit required counter poaching initiatives’ which includes free tracking, incursion, detection, patrol and apprehension dogs.

Dog handlers Precious Malapane and Robynne Wasas are both part of the ‘K9 unit fast response’ team and help to train the anti-poaching dogs. Johan van Straaten added: ‘They begin training from birth and are socialised from a very young age.

‘They learn how to track, bay at a person in a tree and follow basic obedience. ‘At six months we put all that training together more formally – they do have the necessary skill set to do the work at a younger age but are not mature enough to handle all the pressures of real operations.

‘Depending on a number of factors dogs become operational at around 18 months old.’

On February 3, Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries reported that a total of 594 rhinos were poached in the country throughout 2019, Save The Rhino reported.

Poaching numbers peaked at 1,215 in 2014 but this is the fifth year in a row poaching rates have declined.

Facebook Comments Box

Filed Under: Animal

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

More to See

When He Takes Care of And Feeds His Disabled Best Friend, This Cat Is the Best Friend We All Wish We Had

By David Walker

Stray dog rushes on stage to save actor pretending to be injured

By David Walker

A Woman Discovers Three Young Bear Cubs Playing in Her Yard

By David Walker

In a Crimean safari park, two unusual white lion cubs were born

By David Walker

Finland Is Coating Reindeer Antlers in Reflective Paint to Prevent Car Accidents

By David Walker

Newfoundland Rescue Dogs Help Coast Guard Save Lives in Italy

By David Walker

Meet the Shoebill Stork, a Giant Bird with the Appearance of a Muppet

Meet the Shoebill Stork, a Giant Bird with the Appearance of a Muppet

By David Walker

Footer

Bom Boh

We Love Animals give you the news that truly matters to you. Read, look and share the things you are interested in. Welcome!

Recent

  • The Frenchies that win by a nose
  • Flying high: Carrier pigeon ‘arrested’ after being caught smuggling 200 ecstasy pills – hidden in a custom-made backpack
  • HIMALAYAN BEES MAKE PSYCHEDELIC HONEY
  • Portuguese Man-of-War
  • Are Polar Bears Endangered in 2023? Here’s What’s Putting Them at Risk

Search

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in