Rustenburg, South Africa • Venom and Killer. These are members of a furry breed of anti-poaching operatives, dogs that can detect a whiff of hidden rhino horn in a suspect's vehicle or follow the spoor of armed poachers in South Africa's besieged wildlife parks.
Dogs are a small part of an increasingly desperate struggle to curb poaching in Africa, where tens of thousands of elephants have been slaughtered in recent years to meet a surging appetite for ivory in Asia, primarily China. In South Africa, poachers have killed more than 1,000 rhinos this year, surpassing the 2013 record. Countries and conservationists are trying more robust patrols and surveillance, community programs and other tactics against criminal gangs that sometimes benefit from official corruption.
As the conflict rages, elite dogs and handlers are drilling at an anti-poaching academy northwest of Johannesburg. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression.
"One needs to be the dominant male. Hopefully, it's the guy and not the dog," said Marius van Heerden, a 28-year-old handler who lives, works and sleeps with Venom, a Belgian Malinois whose breed is known for endurance and athleticism and has been used by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Venom probably got his name from biting trainers as a puppy, van Heerden said.
South Africa-based Paramount Group, which makes military vehicles and other equipment, runs the academy, which has about 50 adult dogs and the same number of puppies. Most are Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds.
Henry Holsthyzen, an academy leader, trained a Belgian Malinois called Killer who has been credited with anti-poaching successes in South Africa's Kruger National Park. Some 400 canine units are needed for the country's wildlife parks, but only about 30 are operational, he said.
On a recent afternoon, several rangers from the central African country of Gabon lunged at each other in combat exercises at the academy. "We need to focus our efforts where the need is greatest," said Paramount chairman Ivor Ichikowitz, citing the slaughter of much of Gabon's elephant population.
Rhino horn fetches enormous sums on the illegal market. It is made of keratin, a substance also found in human fingernails. Some people covet it as a status symbol and a healing agent despite a lack of evidence that it can cure.
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 a dog and its handler are photographed during training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. Dogs are a small part of an increasingly desperate struggle to curb poaching in Africa, where tens of thousands of elephants have been slaughtered in recent years to meet a surging appetite for ivory in Asia, primarily China. In South Africa, poachers have killed more than 1,000 rhinos this year, surpassing the 2013 record. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 dogs attack a "poacher" in a simulation exercise showing training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 a dog is edged on to attack a "rhino poacher" left, in a simulation exercise showing training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 a dog and its handler are photographed during a simulated training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. Dogs are a small part of an increasingly desperate struggle to curb poaching in Africa, where tens of thousands of elephants have been slaughtered in recent years to meet a surging appetite for ivory in Asia, primarily China. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 a dog chases down a "rhino poacher" left, in water, in a simulation exercise showing training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 dogs exit a helicopter with their handlers to chase a "rhino poacher" front in water, in a simulation exercise showing training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 a dog chases down a "rhino poacher" left, in water, in a simulation exercise showing training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 attack dogs and their handlers apprehend a "rhino poacher" center, after alighting from a helicopter into water, in a simulation exercise showing training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26 2014 a handler and his dog abseil from a helicopter, in a simulated exercise showing training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 26 2014 a handler and his dog abseil from a helicopter, in a simulated exercise showing training at an academy run by the Paramount Group, near Rustenburg, South Africa. The course prepares canine units to find firearms or contraband, track suspects in the undergrowth and abseil in harnesses from helicopters in pursuit of poachers. Dogs and handlers learn to trust each other and fine tune a relationship balancing control and aggression. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
FILE - In this file photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014 tracking rangers with their dog, re-enact how they work, in conjunction with a helicopter, to track down rhino poachers in the Kruger National Park, near Skukuza, South Africa. Anti-poaching dogs are trained to follow the spoor of armed poachers in South Africa's besieged wildlife parks. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell-File)
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