India is training six dogs to sniff out poachers and protect the eight Namibian cheetahs released into the Indian habitat after the big cat became extinct in the country in 1952.
Photo via The Hindu
According to a report by the Indian news agency Asian News International (ANI), a five-month-old German shepherd named "Ilu" is being trained at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force's (ITBP) National Training Centre for Dogs to join a "Super Sniffer" dog squad that will guard the recently released cheetahs at a wildlife sanctuary.
The SCMP reported that the cheetahs, five females and three males arrived in India on 17 September as part of the world’s first intercontinental relocation of the animal.
“Today the cheetah has returned to the soil of India,” said Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, “The nature loving consciousness of India has also awakened with full force. We must not allow our efforts to fail.”
Photo via People's Archive of Rural India
The dogs will also be trained to detect tiger and leopard skins, bones, elephant tusks and other illegal wildlife products before being released into the parks in April.
Aww, this is going to be the goodest and bestest team of guard doggos ever!
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
