Conservation dogs of K9 team arrive Zimbabwe for combatting wildlife poaching

Dubai: Emirates SkyCargo, cargo transportation division of Emirates airline, has flown two specialist conservation dogs to Zimbabwe to help rangers track and combat wildlife poaching at Matusadona National Park. The dogs form the park’s first specialist conservation K9 team.

Vega and Kuda, Belgian Malinois dogs, were transported from London to Harare via Dubai in partnership with UK charity Dogs 4 Wildlife. They have safely settled into their new environment and are now undergoing advanced training alongside park rangers.

In just over a month, Vega and Kuda have completed more than 185 hours of practical training with six specialist handlers, including over 60 human-scent tracking exercises. Their performance has already demonstrated their ability to track suspected poaching activity.

The program has also introduced welfare guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures to ensure the K9 unit can operate effectively and sustainably.

Emirates SkyCargo maintains a zero-tolerance policy on illegal wildlife trafficking. The carrier has banned the transportation of hunting trophies and trained its frontline teams worldwide to identify and respond to potential wildlife trafficking risks.

Emirates is also a founding signatory of the Buckingham Palace Declaration and works with United for Wildlife to help combat global wildlife trafficking.