K9 squad tracking down poachers in Assam

A trained dog squad in Assam, billed to be the first of its kind in the country, is helping to track poachers in the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries of the state and assist forest security personnel in their conservation efforts.

The nation’s first dog squad for wildlife crimes was set up in Assam under the initiative of biodiversity organization ‘Aaranyak’ in 2011 with one male Belgian Malinois named Zorba.

The dog squad known as the ‘K9 unit’ has over the years evolved into a ''very efficient and well-trained one" in tracking down wildlife crimes, said Bibhab Talukdar, the secretary general of the body which has undertaken the effort.

The squad was set up with just one Belgian Malinois, and now it has seven dogs with more than one handler for each of them. Two other dogs are undergoing training here, Talukdar told PTI.

Zorba, the first canine of the squad, is credited with helping to nab 60 poachers, 50 of them in Kaziranga National Park.

Principal chief conservator of forest and head of forest force M K Yadava said that he was very fortunate to have worked with Zorba at Kaziranga.

“Those were difficult days as poaching was at its height and the K9 team made so much difference in dealing with wildlife crimes,” he said.