The realities of poaching in Zimbabwe in 2022 and how incredible anti-poaching dogs are fighting back.

Poaching in Zimbabwe has been a devastatingly common occurrence for decades and, sadly, it shows no signs of letting up any time soon. Endangered wildlife continues to be hunted, with 451 rhinos being killed by poachers between December 2021 and January 2022 alone; clearly, more needs to be done to protect these incredible animals – something an unexpected friend is helping with… man’s best friend, to be exact.

Joining the fight against poaching, exceptional anti-poaching dogs are being trained to guard and protect Zimbabwe’s endangered wildlife. Through harnessing their incomparable natural instincts, connections with trained handlers on-the-ground, and ability to respond with unrivalled immediacy, these fascinating dogs are adding another vital dimension to the battle against South Africa’s poaching epidemic.

Of course, this tremendous feat inspires important questions; how are these dogs trained? How are they cared for in Zimbabwe? How do they really protect endangered wildlife? Are they safe? How long will they work for? This emotional topic is complex but, thankfully, we have a pool of ideal experts who can delve into the realities of poaching in Zimbabwe, including these admirable anti-poaching canines.

If you’re interested, Darren Priddle, Founder of Dogs 4 Wildlife (who train anti-poaching dogs for deployment to Zimbabwe), and Heidi Maskelyne, CEO of ProDog Raw (a company committed to enhancing dogs’ wellbeing which recently sponsored Shinga, an anti-poaching dog now operating in South Africa), would be honoured to share their insights, answer these burning questions, and, ultimately, offer compelling insight into this issue.

Meanwhile, Dogs 4 Wildlife have today released an incredible documentary following the journey of Shinga to Zimbabwe which most definitely highlights the immediacy of this topic and jaw-dropping abilities of anti-poaching dogs.