First-of-its-kind special task initiative in India within any tiger reserve

To intensify efforts against forest crimes in Karnataka’s five tiger reserves, the Forest Department has set up a Tracker Dog Squad Training Centre at Melukamanahalli in Bandipur.

This pioneering initiative is the State’s first independent facility dedicated to train tracker dogs. Earlier, the State tiger reserves were supplied with sniffer dogs by Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network TRAFFIC WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)-India and these sniffer dogs were trained for 7 -8 months at Basic Training Centre – Indo Tibet Border Police Force (BTC-ITBP), Panchkula in Haryana.

The training centre is strategically located near the administration division and safari centre of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Karnataka’s first tiger reserve. The facility, equipped with kennels to accommodate 12 dogs and a storeroom for supplies, is designed to prepare tracker dogs to combat forest crimes.

The centre focuses on detecting forest crimes such as poaching, illegal tree cutting and smuggling of forest produce, preventing human-animal conflicts by identifying and tracking rogue animals, tracking arsonists responsible for forest fires during summer and supporting general law enforcement in forested areas.

Training details

The centre has selected Belgian Malinois, a breed known for its intelligence and adaptability, for its inaugural batch. Out of the 10 puppies brought from a private organisation, 8 puppies have been accepted for training, while 2 were deemed unfit. An additional two puppies will arrive shortly.

Under the guidance of Samarth from Amrith Dog Guru Service, Bengaluru, these puppies are undergoing an intense 10-month training programme. Upon completion, two dogs will be deployed at each of the State’s five tiger reserves: Bandipur, Nagarahole, Biligiriranganatha, Bhadra and Kali.

For each dog, two personnel from the respective reserves will be assigned for handling and management, totalling 20 trained personnel. These dogs are referred to as Wildlife Sniffer and Wildlife Offence Tracking Dogs. In addition to their wildlife sniffer capabilities, they are trained to track forest and wildlife offenders and detect offences.

The training centre aims to train 10 dogs annually to cater to the needs of the entire State of Karnataka in addressing forest and wildlife offence cases. This initiative by the Karnataka Forest Department is the first of its kind in the country within any  tiger reserve.

The Tracker Dog Squad Training Centre was officially inaugurated yesterday by Dr. Malathi Priya, Conservator of Forests, Mysore Circle. Several prominent officials attended the event, including Dr. P. Ramesh Kumar, Director of the Tiger Project, S. Prabhakaran, Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, N.P. Naveen Kumar, Assistant Conservator of Forests, B.M. Mallesh, Range Forest Officer and Amrith Sridhar, dog trainer.

A legacy of tracker dogs: Remembering Rana

Bandipur Tiger Reserve has a rich history of deploying tracker dogs to solve complex cases. A notable example is Rana, a German Shepherd who served for eight years. Rana played a key role in solving high-profile cases, including apprehending poachers, sandalwood thieves, illegal tree cutters and arsonists.

Rana also famously tracked a rogue tiger that killed people near a tea estate in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu. Following Rana’s retirement and eventual passing away, Drona, another German Shepherd, now carries forward this vital legacy.

The launch of the Tracker Dog Squad Training Centre underscores the Karnataka Forest Department’s commitment to conserving wildlife and safeguarding forest resources. This initiative is expected to enhance the efficiency of forest crime detection, minimise human-animal conflicts, and strengthen overall forest protection in the State’s tiger reserves.