A remarkable tale unfolded as Dan, a one-year-old Belgian Malinois trained in Wales at Dogs 4 Wildlife in Carmarthenshire, played a pivotal role in rescuing an 18-month-old rhino from poachers in South Africa.
Last week, Dan, one of Dogs 4 Wildlife’s eight specially trained dogs, discovered Viola, a rhino calf ensnared in a snare in KwaZulu-Natal province, with her mother nearby. The diligent efforts of the ground teams ensured the successful rescue of both.
Director Jacqui Law expressed gratitude for the dedication of the teams, emphasizing the positive outcome achieved.
Dogs 4 Wildlife, based in Wales, is dedicated to providing trained dogs for anti-poaching units, contributing significantly to the protection of endangered wildlife across Africa.
Dan, deployed to KwaZulu-Natal in February, bears the name of dog enthusiast Daniel Bridle from Pembrokeshire, whose legacy lives on through the heroic conservation efforts of dogs like Dan. Mr. Bridle, a dog lover, passed away in 2014 after a year-long battle with terminal cancer.
Ms. Law emphasized that this incident represents just one of the numerous heart-wrenching cases of snare poaching occurring in KwaZulu-Natal, many of which unfortunately do not result in a positive outcome.
She added, “Snare poaching shows no regard for the species it harms or kills. It is a cruel method employed to capture wildlife for bushmeat.”
KwaZulu-Natal, holding 25% of the world’s remaining population of both black and white rhinos, has become a prime target for poachers as rhino numbers dwindle elsewhere. The province was also featured in the filming of “The Woman King,” released in October 2022. Viola, the rhino calf, was born during filming and named after the lead actress, Viola Davis.
Junior Blom, canine project manager for Project Rhino, expressed satisfaction with the positive outcome of this attempted rhino poaching incident. He noted that snare poaching and the escalating incidents of rhino poaching in KZN have been devastating, leading to the senseless death of several rhinos, including those previously dehorned.