There aren’t enough ‘E’s in the world for the ‘SQUEE’ I’m feeling right now!
Hound dog FLYIN’
Meet the Congohounds, “a team of bloodhounds protecting Africa’s wildlife” in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo:
Bloodhound dogs are famous for their sense of smell and ability to follow a scent trail. Able to identify a single scent in five million, bloodhounds are uniquely suited to track humans in difficult terrain. Virunga National Park, like several other parks containing critically endangered species, is preparing to harness the unique skills of the bloodhound to track, apprehend and arrest poachers.
Dr. Marlene Zähner, and other internationally recognized experts in the field of man-trailing and crime scene investigation, are creating Congo’s first man-trailing program in Virunga National Park. The goal of the program is to better protect Virunga’s critically endangered mountain gorillas and other wildlife from poachers, and in general, help enforce the rule of law, which is critical to re-establishing Virunga’s tourism trade. The program will also greatly improve the park’s ability to quickly find lost and critically injured rangers, many of whom have died needlessly while awaiting help.
You can donate to the project here, which helps pay for food, housing, ranger salaries and veterinary costs. Hounds helping humans help gorillas — such lovely symbiosis at play!