Although the tracking skills of dogs have often been used for hunting down animals, these talents can also be developed to help protect our wildlife as well. This is what Johan van Straaten and his team at the Southern African Wildlife College are aiming to perfect by applying an immersive training for their dogs starting from birth. Their primary goal for this project is to be at the forefront of ensuring that Africa’s wildlife and biodiversity survive the fight against poachers, especially the Rhinos.
Training methods
The training of these dogs begins at birth and lasts until their skills are good enough for them to be on the field – usually eighteen months. The skills they learned are focused on anti-poacher initiatives such as tracking them down and apprehending them once found.
While they are still puppies, their education starts with socializing and giving them basic obedience skills. Once they turn six months old, they are then immersed into more rigorous training to get them ready for operation. Hunting down poachers in the wild can be extremely dangerous. What they learn and develop beforehand ensures their safety and success.
Game changers
Dogs have always been the choice of animal hunting companion for us humans, dating back hundreds of years. Now, these same pets are being trained to develop their hunting skills – not to pursue wildlife but to preserve them. Since the addition of trained tracking dogs for their patrols around Greater Kruger National Park back in early 2018, the success rates in finding and stopping poachers from heartlessly killing Rhinos have increased by more than 60 percent.
Van Straaten and his team are continually improving the training of these brave conservationist pooches to further prevent poachers from destroying Africa’s wildlife. The practice of off-leash tracking is a prime example of their fine-tuning that has been invaluable to their operations. These dogs are now able to run as fast as they want in pursuit of their target, passing through terrain that humans would have trouble navigating.
Take a look at what their operations look like here:
Source: Youtube | Earth Touch
