To Combat Rhino Poaching, Dogs Are Giving South African Park Rangers A Crucial Assist
Anti-poaching rangers have sophisticated resources at their command. But one of the most effective is strikingly low-tech. "Since we use dogs, the guys can't hide from us anymore," says a trainer.
Ruben de Kock has been training South Africa's park rangers for over two decades — but last month was the first time one of his former students was killed on the job.
The July 19 incident, in which 34-year-old marks the first instance in 50 years of a ranger being killed by poachers in Kruger National Park. Yet given the intensity of rhinoceros poaching in the region, the milestone is as surprising as
