06/09/2026
I was scrolling through my phone looking for a photo I’d misplaced when I came across this from several years ago. It brought back such a vivid memory of a morning spent in South Africa with an anti-poaching unit.
We had the opportunity to learn about the work they were doing to protect some of Africa’s most threatened wildlife, and I was fascinated by the role these incredibly well trained dogs played. Working alongside their handlers and rangers, the dogs were trained not only to track and locate poachers, but also to find weapons, ammunition, and other evidence that could be critical in building a case for prosecution.
Poaching remains one of the most devastating threats facing wildlife conservation. And while highly trained rangers and canine units can make an extraordinary difference on the ground, the problem extends far beyond the person carrying a weapon into the bush. Wildlife trafficking can be driven by sophisticated, well funded international criminal networks, and truly addressing the crisis requires going after the people who finance, organize, and profit from the trade. Stronger investigations, prosecutions, intelligence sharing, and judicial systems are essential if we are ever going to dismantle the networks behind this illegal trade.
Until then, rangers and their canine partners are often the first and sometimes the only line of defense between a magnificent animal and death.
I was able to hold my ground with this incredibly intense Belgian Malinois for approximately as long as it took his handler to call him off! 😂 He was all business one minute, and the next I was able to give him a huge hug and spend a few minutes playing with him.
