Choppers, drones, mass relocations, even toxic rhino horn infusions … Africa’s conservationists and rangers are using any means available to fight the war against poachers. But perhaps one of the most effective weapons in the anti-poaching arsenal comes in canine form. This short film from Fauna & Flora International uses GoPro cameras to give us a dog’s-eye view of just what it’s like on the frontlines for Africa’s anti-poaching canines.
Diego is an anti-poaching dog working for Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a vital sanctuary for Africa’s rhinos, and home to the last male northern white rhino on earth. In this short training demonstration, Diego shows off his speed and agility: scaling river banks, bounding over fallen trees and splashing across rivers in hot pursuit of a decoy "poacher".
Diego is just one of a number of dogs that have been deployed at the conservancy to protect its wildlife. According to a media release by Fauna & Flora International, dogs like Diego can do the work of a 70-person search team and are able track poachers at night. And in case you’re worried about the safety of these hardworking dogs, Daryll Pleasants of White Paw Training (the team responsible for training Diego) is yet to see a canine shot on the job.
That’ll do, Diego. That’ll do.