Canines for Africa are deploying two working dog units into wildlife conservation areas in Zimbabwe in a bid to combat poaching, The Chronicle reports.
The non-profit organization offer logistical backup and support to conservation areas and game parks, with a focus on southern Africa. They breed and train their dogs in the town of Hoedspruit in South Africa’s Limpopo province.
The organization work with Conraad de Rosner, founder and director of K9 Conservation. They house around 20 pups in their kennel system at any given time as part of their ‘Canine University Education’.
Vianna von Weyhausen, director of Canines for Africa, said that the dogs are set to arrive in Zimbabwe from South Africa on Nov. 20.
Dogs on Duty
K9 Tsotsi, a Foxhound-Bluetick mix, was part of a leopard-hunting pack before undergoing something of a career change. The dog will be working in Bubye Valley Conservancy, a huge wildlife conservation and research center of almost one million acres.
Then there’s K9 Baron Curtis, a German Shepherd-Husky mix. Trained to detect ivory, he’ll work in Hwange, the largest natural reserve in Zimbabwe.
Canines for Africa have been working in Zimbabwe since 2019. Then, the organization deployed its first working dog in the country: K9 Katana. A Malinois, the canine works with the all-female Akashinga anti-poaching unit. Her success has encouraged Canines for Africa to deploy more working dogs in Zimbabwe.
Expanding Across Africa
As well as South Africa and Zimbabwe, Canines for Africa work in Mozambique and Namibia, as well as Mali in West Africa. They’ve branched out eastwards into Asia too, operating in the Andhari Tiger Reserve in India.
Canines for Africa breed a range of working dogs. They have German, Dutch and Belgian Shepherds, as well as Spaniels, Weimaraners, Bloodhounds, and other breeds, all for different purposes. Some are fence patrol dogs, while others are trackers, detection dogs, or anti-poaching canines.
