Counter Poaching Hounds - Unite Against Poaching

Poachers will no longer be able to rely on tactics such as outrunning their pursuers or hiding from rangers to escape capture. Following the success of the first three tracker hounds introduced into Kruger National Park, the park has now increased the number of dogs and will steadily build the numbers further.

The tracker hounds are specialists at high speed tracking and can outrun any fleeing poacher, even across difficult tracking terrain which would halt the most experienced human trackers. The hounds hunt as a pack and are able to run off leash making them independant of humans who would hamper their progress. They are trained to ignore animals and focus on their human target.

The tracker hounds are part of a well organised counter poaching strategy and are utilised as a quick deployment unit. A specially adapted Volkswagen Amarok is used during deployment. They are supported by well trained field rangers and specialised counter poaching teams.

Unite Against Poaching, a combined effort between the SANParks Honorary Rangers and Unitrans Volkswagen, has donated the hounds and are sponsoring their training and provided them with predator proof kennels. Their specialised nutritional needs as high energy working dogs are well looked after by Hill's Pet Nutrition.

The public can support this effort and help us look after and increase the number of dogs by donating in support of this project: http://bit.ly/IF43ru

For more information: http://www.sanparksvolunteers.org/