K9 ANTI POACHING DOG UNIT


A new K9 unit, established by Project Rhino to stop wildlife crime, has immediately been put to work effectively in the Zululand district of KwaZulu-Natal, locating a number of carcasses of critically endangered white-backed vultures. Vultures are regularly poisoned for illegal use in the traditional medicine market, with population numbers plummeting in recent years. The carcasses were located near the town of Hluhluwe, an area at the centre of the wildlife conservation efforts in the province.
In the first 3 weeks, the Project Rhino K9 Unit was already present at SAPS road blocks, reserve vehicle checks and night patrols.

“Dogs have proved to be an essential tool to fight wildlife crime by tracking down poachers, detecting wildlife products and recovering illegal weapons and ammunition. Project Rhino has been working towards implementing a dog unit that will service the needs of reserves, functioning effectively within the unique Zululand landscape. We hope to grow the team, using trained and certified tracking dogs to assist in tracking and locating suspects as well as gathering important intelligence.” says Chris Galliers, the Project Rhino coordinator.

If you would like to contribute to the funding of this project, or would like to assist with veterinary supplies or dog food – please visit this link or contact us. To watch a short video on the K9 Unit, click here.