Chase a ball, save a scaly pangolin
● Five of SA’s four-legged finest have been sent to Malaysia to help curb rising poaching there.
But while the dogs are indispensable in sniffing out endangered species, most of the time they think they’re just looking for a tennis ball. The dogs are chosen for their high drive to seek out and play with balls, which are used as a reward in training.
Trained by Paramount K9 Solutions in Magaliesburg, Gauteng, the dogs were ordered by Malaysia’s department of wildlife and national parks.
Working with the Malaysian nonprofit conservation organisation Rimba, they will be used in wildlife areas and at Kuala Lumpur airport to detect pangolin scales, ivory and rhino horn. Experts say the country has become a key hub for poachers smuggling these items into Asia.
Two of the dogs are Belgian Malinois, two are labradors and one is a Dutch shepherd dog. They arrived in Malaysia six weeks ago and are acclimatising to the high humidity before they begin their tasks.
Rimba said it did not want to comment because its work required confidentiality.
Paramount spokesperson Nico de Klerk said one of the Malinois dogs, Phiri, would be used in specialist anti-poaching operations to detect weapons and ammunition and track poachers in the wild.
“The handing-over period will take about two months because the jungle conditions [in Malaysia] are very different from conditions in SA. But the Malinois are ideal for hot temperatures. They have a wonderful temperament and nature, which is good for tracking and hunting. They can keep moving for a lot longer than other breeds.”
The company was established by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation. Director Eric Ichikowitz said the average price for a trained dog was about R150,000.
“Malaysia and many other SoutheastAsian countries are entry points for our poached ivory, rhino horn and pangolin scales,” he said.
“So these dogs are deployed at Kuala Lumpur airport to detect this contraband, while other dogs are deployed in their nature reserves to protect the Asian pangolin species, which has nearly been hunted to extinction.”
The pangolin is the most trafficked animal in the world. According to the African Pangolin Working Group, more than 68t of pangolin scales have been intercepted leaving Africa so far this year.