Kenya Launches Canine Handling Course To Strengthen Wildlife Protection
The officers undergoing training alongside some of their trainers. Photo/Courtesy.
By MKT Correspondent
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in partnership with the Kenya Police and African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has launched the first Canine Handling Course of 2025 at the Kenya Police Dog Unit Training Academy in Lang’ata, Nairobi.
The intensive two-month program will see 21 rangers trained in advanced detection and tracking techniques to combat wildlife crime.
The initiative continues from a successful partnership that began in 2015 when KWS and AWF signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish Kenya’s first Canine Training Unit in the country.
During the launching ceremony, Mr. Isaac Kiptebis, Commandant of the Kenya Police Canine Unit, emphasized the strategic value of canine units, “Dogs are force multipliers in law enforcement, capable of detecting what humans cannot. Their handlers develop not just skills, but a passion for this vital work that protects our natural heritage.”
Prof. Philip Muruthi, the AWF Vice President for Species Conservation, connected wildlife protection to human welfare saying, “Elephants replant forests through seed dispersal, bringing rain and supporting ecosystems. Our canine units safeguard these ecological engineers.”
On her part, Ms Celina Mwangangi, the KWS Senior Assistant Director Investigations, traced the program’s evolution, noting, “from two dogs in 2000 to nationwide coverage today, our canine units now secure key entry points including JKIA and Kilindini Port.”
She added, “The 2015 AWF partnership was transformative, providing trained handlers and detection dogs that significantly improved our interception capabilities.”
The course reinforces Kenya’s leadership in wildlife protection, equipping rangers with specialized skills to; Disrupt trafficking networks, Intercept illegal wildlife products and Protect endangered species.
KWS officials expressed gratitude to AWF for financial support and the Kenya Police for their training expertise terming it as a partnership delivering measurable results in combating wildlife crime.
At the same time, the public was encouraged to report wildlife crimes through KWS channels, including the 24-hour hotline: 0800 597 000.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Diaspora Times Global Sep 19 – Sep 25, 2026
- Tibet’s glacial catastrophe: Behind Beijing’s wall of silence, a climate disaster reshapes a region
- Museveni says Uganda overpaid for fuel through Kenyan middlemen as new terminal breaks ground
- Court orders throw KPL season kickoff into doubt
- Can Kenyans abroad become the untapped force that transforms Kenya?
About the Author
