Authorities use sniffer dogs to combat rapidly growing illegal trade: 'Collaborative efforts to address the threat'

Illegal wildlife trade has not spared India. According to the World Wildlife Fund, nearly 4,000 exotic animals, including primates, birds, reptiles, fish species, and insects, were recorded in 56 seizure incidents in 2022.

Now, the Kawal Tiger Reserve in Telangana is doubling down on efforts to detect wildlife contraband, track poachers, and prevent wildlife crime. One of their solutions? Sniffer dogs, the New Indian Express reported.

Poachers are the most immediate threat to tiger populations and are looking to profit from a high demand for their body parts, which are used in traditional medicines as well as status symbols. The Wildlife Protection Society of India, which has recent data available, says that 122 tigers died this year, and 40 were poached and seized. This is already more than during the whole of 2024, which recorded 127 deaths and 26 cases of poaching and seizures.

This criminal activity is now occurring on an organized scale, making the need to protect India's wildlife increasingly urgent.

Dipankar Ghose, senior director for biodiversity conservation at WWF-India, deems dogs an important tool in helping curb illegal wildlife trade as they support state forest departments, among other agencies, per the New Indian Express. But he also calls for reinforcing wildlife law enforcement at both the central and state levels.

The illegal wildlife trade does not just affect animals, but also public health, which relies on balanced ecosystems permitted by key species such as tigers. It also relies on community safety and stability, which is threatened by the violence and corruption that smuggling operations often involve.

The Kawal Tiger Reserve will count 14 wildlife sniffer dogs and 28 handlers once they have completed the training at the National Training Centre for Dogs in Panchkula, under WWF-India's wildlife sniffer dog program. Other reserves will benefit from the program, which started with two dogs in 2008 and is currently training 120.

The New Indian Express explained that the new squads were being sent to various locations across India, including the Kuno, Pench, and Sanjay National Parks in Madhya Pradesh, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, and Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary in Jharkhand.

"The future of India's tigers, elephants, rhinos, pangolins, turtles, tortoises, birds, marine species, and others depends on collaborative efforts to address the threat," Ghose said, per the New Indian Express.

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