Canine Heroes Thwart Succulent Poachers in Northern Cape

In a thrilling turn of events, the "pioneering pooches" of the succulent detection canine team operating under the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) have made their debut bust, foiling plant poachers in Northern Cape, South Africa. The specially trained team consisting of Ike, a German shepherd, Reaper, a Belgian Malinois, and Delta, a border collie, has been working diligently to protect the country's endangered flora.

Aided by their professional handlers, Esther Matthew and Shadi Henrico, the triumphant trio have been screening vehicles at roadblocks in both the Western Cape and Northern Cape. Their diligent efforts culminated in the arrest of two suspects on 13 October in Springbok, who were apprehended after trying to abandon a box containing around 1,760 poached succulent plants, specifically, Conophytum subterraneum, on the verge of a roadblock.

The perceptive canine, Delta, managed to detect a single leftover plant in the suspects' vehicle, a golden VW Polo, thereby cementing their connection to the abandoned box of succulents.

Subsequently, the perpetrators were arrested and charged under the Northern Cape Nature Conservation Act for unlawful possession of endangered plants.

This triumphant ambush serves as a shining example of the effectiveness of the EWT’s succulent detection dog project in the fight against biodiversity theft. The impressive initiative receives funding from The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, with CapeNature, Sanbi and the police providing indispensable support.