Police rope in K9 units in fight against poachers

POLOKWANE – According to police and anti-poaching units, the fight against rhino poaching needs constant changes in the way anti-poaching units and the police deal with the problem.

According to reports by Rhino Alive, illegal hunting was up more than a third compared to the same time last year. In April 2013 a total of 203 rhinos had been poached compared to 277 in April 2014. More than half of the attacks happened in the Kruger National Park, where 166 animals were killed.

So far 32 people have been arrested for illegal poaching this year only. The latest arrests was made in the first week of April when two suspected rhino poachers appeared in the Phalaborwa magistrate’s court after they had been arrested by the police on a farm in Gravelotte. During the search of their vehicle, the police confiscated a hunting rifle with its serial number filed off, 20 rounds of live ammunition and three butcher’s knifes.

More farmers have now started to make use of K9 services (dogs) to assist in the tracking and arrests of poachers. Several organisations with years of training in conservation and the training of tracker dogs have made their services available and assist both farmers and the police in the fight against poaching.

“Our primary function is to aid and assist game reserves, wildlife owners and bodies to counteract illegal hunting and wildlife trade by poachers and poaching syndicates,” said Gavin Smith, a wild life conservationist at Holden-Smith Tracing and Conservation (HSTC).

He said as each situation was unique, their services differed to best fit in assisting all farmers, police, and game reserves in the quest to stop poaching and illegal trade of animals.

The dogs are trained in tracking blood trails and footprints, looking out for snares, finding carcasses and following scents. Conservationists and dog handlers conform fully with all the necessary legal requirements to look after and work with these animals. “There are many advantages to using dogs to catch poachers. For one, they are 100% honest and cannot be bribed. They track down poachers themselves and can also seek out incriminating evidence like weapons disgarded by fleeing poachers,” said Ann Rosner a dog handler and consultant at HSTC.

Lt Col Alpheus Mokale from the anti-poaching unit in Polokwane said that these dogs had been of great assistance to the police, but it was equally important that the community came forward with information about poachers in their midst. “The fight against poaching is one that can only be won when the police and public take hands,” he said.

For further information contact Gavin Smith at 078 380 6316 or send an email to info@hstc.co.za.

To report poaching, please contact your local police station or send an sms to crime stop at 32211.