By Claudia Bensimoun

First published: Fido Friendly magazine

In the fight against wildlife poaching, dogs are unsung heroes. This Fido Friendly feature by Claudia Bensimoun on barkuptoday.com explores how anti-poaching dogs at Ol Pejeta Conservancy and beyond protect rhinos and elephants.

Trained for tracking, detecting ivory, horns, and ammo, and patrolling, these canines cut poaching by up to 60% in African reserves. With White Paw Limited’s rigorous training, criminals are deterred cost-effectively. Below are key highlights from the article that showcase their life-saving impact. Read the full feature on FidoFriendly.com here.

Ending Trophy Hunting

The brutal and illegal slaughter of Cecil, Hwange National Park’s most beloved lion, by Dr. Walter Palmer, a Minneapolis dentist, has fueled an international outcry against trophy hunting and, for the most part, all wildlife hunting.

In an era of wildlife extinction with large-scale rhino poaching and canned lion hunting, conservation should be a priority, and measures must be put in place to halt canned hunting and poaching internationally.

Anti-Poaching Dogs’ Impact

“Sadly, an estimated 756 African lions are killed by trophy hunters every year. So, while it is not unusual for lions to be killed by trophy hunters, Cecil’s story allowed us to bring this matter to the public’s attention.

Cecil the lion was a well-known and beloved animal. He was radio-collared and the subject of a study by Oxford University scientists. A lot was known about him: that he was one of two adult males in a lion pride, and that he had cubs who survived him. He was used to being around people. He was photographed and enjoyed by many. When he was killed, the researchers knew about it and the location of his remains.

The ensuing investigation by the Government of Zimbabwe revealed illegalities in Cecil’s hunt, and they have asked the US to extradite the hunter to face charges in Zimbabwe. Cecil’s story reveals a wealth of information about how the trophy hunting industry operates,” explains Teresa Telecky, Ph.D. Director, Wildlife Department, Humane Society International, Washington, DC.

Training for Conservation

According to Shelly Cox, African Bush Camps and Brent Staplekamp from the Lion Research Unit in Hwange, “Jericho was with Cecil’s pride (comprising of three female lionesses and seven cubs) after Cecil’s death. They all appear to be doing extremely well. Jericho is currently in another area not far from this pride and is mating with a female named “Cathy” from an alternative pride that both Cecil and Jericho looked after. Both prides appear to be doing well.”

The brutal and illegal slaughter of Cecil, Hwange National Park’s most beloved lion, by Dr. Walter Palmer, a Minneapolis dentist, has fueled an international outcry against trophy hunting and, for the most part, all wildlife hunting.

Ol Pejeta’s Success

In an era of wildlife extinction with large-scale rhino poaching and canned lion hunting, conservation should be a priority, and measures must be put in place to halt canned hunting and poaching internationally.

“Sadly, an estimated 756 African lions are killed by trophy hunters every year. So, while it is not unusual for lions to be killed by trophy hunters, Cecil’s story allowed us to bring this matter to the public’s attention. Cecil the lion was a well-known and beloved animal. He was radio-collared and the subject of a study by Oxford University scientists.

A lot was known about him: that he was one of two adult males in a lion pride, and that he had cubs who survived him. He was used to being around people. He was photographed and enjoyed by many. When he was killed, the researchers knew about it and the location of his remains.

The ensuing investigation by the Government of Zimbabwe revealed illegalities in Cecil’s hunt, and they have asked the US to extradite the hunter to face charges in Zimbabwe. Cecil’s story reveals a wealth of information about how the trophy hunting industry operates,” explains Teresa Telecky, Ph.D. Director, Wildlife Department, Humane Society International, Washington, DC.

According to Shelly Cox, African Bush Camps and Brent Staplekamp from the Lion Research Unit in Hwange, “Jericho was with Cecil’s pride (comprising of three female lionesses and seven cubs) after Cecil’s death. They all appear to be doing extremely well. Jericho is currently in another area not far from this pride and is mating with a female named “Cathy” from an alternative pride that both Cecil and Jericho looked after. Both prides appear to be doing well.”

For the Full Exclusive Story, see this issue.

Claudia Bensimoun, Anti-Poaching Dogs, Wildlife Protection Dogs, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Canine Conservation, Rhino Poaching Prevention, Elephant Protection Dogs, White Paw Limited, Dog Tracking Poachers, Ivory Detection Dogs, Rhino Horn Sniffing, Fido Friendly, Canine Patrol Training, African Wildlife Dogs, Dog Security Africa, Pet Conservation Heroes, Vet Conservation Insights, Holistic Dog Conservation, Dog Agility Poaching, Canine Wildlife Guardians, Pet Poaching Prevention, Dog Anti-Poaching Study, Wildlife Crime Deterrence, Dog Poacher Deterrent, Endangered Species Dogs, Conservation Dog Training