Panchkula, Haryana: WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dog squads are assisting enforcement agencies across India in curbing poaching, wildlife trafficking, and illicit wildlife trade. To further bolster and strengthen this effort, a new batch under WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dog training programme has begun training at the National Training Centre for Dogs, Basic Training Centre, Bhanu, Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force, Panchkula, Haryana.
Fourteen young dogs and their 28 handlers from eight state forest departments will undergo rigorous training for the next seven months, learning skills to detect and curb wildlife crime.
On completion, they will be deployed by Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla (GGTP) Tiger Reserve, Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, Kanger Ghati National Park, Indravati Tiger Reserve and Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh; Anamalia Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu; Kawal Tiger Reserve in Telangana; Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar; Sahyadri Tiger Reserve and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra; Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan; Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary in Jharkhand; Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh; and Kuno National Park, Pench Tiger Reserve and Sanjay National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
Dr Dipankar Ghose, Senior Director, Biodiversity Conservation, WWF-India, said, "Dogs use their exceptional olfactory abilities to help detect wildlife contrabands and solve wildlife crime cases. From tracking offenders to sniffing out wildlife products, WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dogs have established their crucial role in combatting wildlife crime in India. We are excited about the new batch that begins this training. With this, the total number of wildlife sniffer dogs trained under WWF-India's programme will reach a new height".
Inspector General, National Training Centre for Dogs, Basic Training Centre, Bhanu, Panchkula, Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force said, "Illegal wildlife trade is a serious threat to wildlife in India today, and best enforcement practices must be deployed to curb this. The use of sniffer dogs in crime detection and prevention is a long-proven practice in India, and we are happy to support their training to curb this menace. The new batch of WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dogs is the fifth to be trained at NTCD, BTC, Bhanu, ITBP, and we are happy to extend our full support for their training".
The wildlife sniffer dog training is divided into two critical phases. The first phase will focus on developing an emotional and trusting bond between the dog and the handler, crucial to becoming a successful wildlife sniffer dog squad. It will be followed by basic obedience training. Later, the dogs will learn sniffing and tracking skills and train to detect tiger and leopard skins, bones and other body parts, bear bile, red sanders, and other illegal wildlife products.
At the end of the training, the dog and their handlers will be tested for what they have learned. They will pass out in August 2025 after completing their rigorous training to become a wildlife sniffer dog squad.
WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dog training programme was launched in 2008 with two dog squads. Till 2024, 106 wildlife sniffer dogs have been trained and deployed in 22 states and Union Territories. With the current batch of 14, the number of wildlife sniffer dogs trained under the programme will be 120.
For any queries, pictures or more information, please contact Ms Dilpreet B. Chhabra at dchhabra@wwfindia.net or call +91 9899000472. To know more about WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dog programme in India, please visit https://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/enablers/traffic/our_work/super_sniffers/
Notes:
The illegal wildlife trade has endangered the existence of many wild species across the globe. In India, it includes the illegal trade of products like mongoose hair; snake skins; rhino horn; tiger and leopard claws, bones, skins, whiskers; elephant tusks; deer antlers; shahtoosh shawl; turtle shells; musk pods; bear bile; medicinal plants; timber and caged birds such as parakeets, mynas, munias, etc. There is an urgent need for action to stop all illegal wildlife trade that has threatened and even pushed many species towards extinction. Training wildlife sniffer dogs is a step forward in this direction.
Fourteen young dogs and their 28 handlers from eight state forest departments will undergo rigorous training for the next seven months, learning skills to detect and curb wildlife crime.
On completion, they will be deployed by Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla (GGTP) Tiger Reserve, Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, Kanger Ghati National Park, Indravati Tiger Reserve and Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh; Anamalia Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu; Kawal Tiger Reserve in Telangana; Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar; Sahyadri Tiger Reserve and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra; Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan; Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary in Jharkhand; Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh; and Kuno National Park, Pench Tiger Reserve and Sanjay National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
Dr Dipankar Ghose, Senior Director, Biodiversity Conservation, WWF-India, said, "Dogs use their exceptional olfactory abilities to help detect wildlife contrabands and solve wildlife crime cases. From tracking offenders to sniffing out wildlife products, WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dogs have established their crucial role in combatting wildlife crime in India. We are excited about the new batch that begins this training. With this, the total number of wildlife sniffer dogs trained under WWF-India's programme will reach a new height".
Inspector General, National Training Centre for Dogs, Basic Training Centre, Bhanu, Panchkula, Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force said, "Illegal wildlife trade is a serious threat to wildlife in India today, and best enforcement practices must be deployed to curb this. The use of sniffer dogs in crime detection and prevention is a long-proven practice in India, and we are happy to support their training to curb this menace. The new batch of WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dogs is the fifth to be trained at NTCD, BTC, Bhanu, ITBP, and we are happy to extend our full support for their training".
The wildlife sniffer dog training is divided into two critical phases. The first phase will focus on developing an emotional and trusting bond between the dog and the handler, crucial to becoming a successful wildlife sniffer dog squad. It will be followed by basic obedience training. Later, the dogs will learn sniffing and tracking skills and train to detect tiger and leopard skins, bones and other body parts, bear bile, red sanders, and other illegal wildlife products.
At the end of the training, the dog and their handlers will be tested for what they have learned. They will pass out in August 2025 after completing their rigorous training to become a wildlife sniffer dog squad.
WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dog training programme was launched in 2008 with two dog squads. Till 2024, 106 wildlife sniffer dogs have been trained and deployed in 22 states and Union Territories. With the current batch of 14, the number of wildlife sniffer dogs trained under the programme will be 120.
For any queries, pictures or more information, please contact Ms Dilpreet B. Chhabra at dchhabra@wwfindia.net or call +91 9899000472. To know more about WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dog programme in India, please visit https://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/enablers/traffic/our_work/super_sniffers/
Notes:
The illegal wildlife trade has endangered the existence of many wild species across the globe. In India, it includes the illegal trade of products like mongoose hair; snake skins; rhino horn; tiger and leopard claws, bones, skins, whiskers; elephant tusks; deer antlers; shahtoosh shawl; turtle shells; musk pods; bear bile; medicinal plants; timber and caged birds such as parakeets, mynas, munias, etc. There is an urgent need for action to stop all illegal wildlife trade that has threatened and even pushed many species towards extinction. Training wildlife sniffer dogs is a step forward in this direction.