Kazakhstan Dog Names

Through a partnership between Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) in 2014, four detection dogs were supplied and trained by Markor K9, a group of American Specialist trainers, as well as the Kazakhstan Customs Agency’s regional Dog Training Center. The four sniffer dogs are Malinois and named Dak, Arctic, Ginny and Aja, had been trained to detect narcotics and were chosen for training to locate illegally-smuggled saiga antelope horns for the Kazakhstan customs service. Once they received this training, the dogs and their handlers were sent to three different border stations in the country and each dog received follow up training.

It turned out that the training also helped in competition. When dog teams across the country participated in the 12^th Republican Cynologists Competition, they engaged in a series of challenges involving obedience and search tests. FFI’s K9 team, Marat and Dak, earned the title of champions. 

K9 teams like these are playing an important role in protecting endangered species. The dogs are able to detect and ultimately deter, the illegal trade of saiga horn along the trade route from Kazakhstan to China. Saiga antelopes have declined in numbers by 95% over the last 20 years as a result of illegal hunting of their meat and horns, one of the fastest population declines of mammals in recent decades, leading to the species now being listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

According to Ryspek Smakov, the Head of the Regional Dog Training Centre, Kazakhstan’s using search dogs to detect smuggling was a first in Central Asia, and the first time that the method has been used for saiga worldwide. The dogs are off to a good start. Ginny identified two loads of hidden saiga horn on the country's southern border and there are signs that the word has gotten out about the dogs being at border checkpoints, leading to potential traffickers having second thoughts. Illegal transportation of saiga horn across the borders of Kazakhstan has become more difficult thanks to these dogs. 

Sniffer dogs are one of multiple elements of the FFI’s efforts with the Kazak Government’s Forestry and Hunting Committee and ACBK to fight the illegal trade of saiga horn. Efforts include monitoring saiga distribution and movements, training rangers and working to establish an independent ranger team on the Ustyurt Plateau.