Story by Tichaona Kurewa
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) have unveiled a modern K9 Unit Training Centre in Victoria Falls.
This strategic partnership aims to bolster anti-poaching efforts and wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.
Zimparks has adopted the use of technologies such as camera traps, drones and has also established the K-9 unit as a way to complement its law enforcement strategies.
To date, K-9 units have been established in Matobo National Park, Hwange National Park, Zambezi National Park and aims at establishing more units in other protected areas.
“The Zambezi National Park K-9 training facility shall therefore be used to support the thrust in establishing the other K-9 units across the country. It will allow the continuous training and support needed by the K- 9 units as a way of increasing and strengthening wildlife protection in other potential areas.The establishment of this K9 facility signifies our deep commitment to enhancing the capabilities of our K9 and blue tick dogs in tracking poachers who have become increasingly sophisticated in their anti-tracking methods,” said Zimparks Director General, Dr Fulton Mangwanya.
IFAWCountry Director, Ms Alleta Nyahuye weighed in, “The K9 unit is one of the strategies being implemented by IFAW in partnership with Zimparks to complement other technology-based approaches for combating wildlife crime. This initiative includes the use of detection dogs, training for handlers, and the establishment of K9 standard operating procedures.”
In addition to the training centre, IFAW has donated two brand-new land cruiser vehicles to Zimparks to support anti-poaching efforts at Matetsi Unit 5 in Hwange District.
Zimparks’ anti-poaching initiatives have yielded positive results, with no poaching incidents recorded in Hwange National Park and surrounding areas in the past three years.
