2025 K9 Field Training and Integrated Operations | Elevating Wildlife Protection Teams

The K9 Field Training and Integrated Operations course is one of Global Conservation Force’s most advanced training initiatives, offering an intensive, hands-on professional development experience for handlers, trainers, and field rangers working with active K9 units in wildlife conservation. Unlike traditional training programs, this course places teams directly into operational environments, challenging both handlers and K9s to excel under real-world conditions.

This year, 17 participants from South Africa, Europe, and conservation organizations worldwide completed the program. Each handler is responsible for one or more working K9s and will now be able to train and mentor additional K9 teams, creating a powerful multiplier effect for their organizations. Collectively, this training directly supports:

  • Over 10 wildlife reserves and protected areas

  • 25 working K9s actively deployed in anti-poaching and counter-trafficking missions

  • Specialist police and investigative units targeting wildlife crime both inside and outside conservation areas

These graduates are strengthening South Africa’s rhino protection efforts while also safeguarding countless other threatened species and dismantling criminal wildlife trafficking networks.

Expert Instruction

 

The program was led by GCF Instructors Mike Veale Wesley Visscher, and Mario Haspels, of GCF partner Scent Imprint for Dogs, bringing together decades of expertise in anti-poaching, K9 training, and operational wildlife protection. Their combined knowledge and field-tested methods pushed participants to excel in real-world environments and develop the leadership skills needed to drive conservation efforts forward.

Raising the Bar for Wildlife Protection

Sponsored by Elephant Cooperation, this year’s course represents a step beyond standard K9 training, offering a blend of field immersion, operational readiness, and leadership development.

Key elements of the program included:

  • Train-the-Trainer Development: Building leadership capacity so participants can elevate entire teams and mentor future K9 handlers

  • Scenario-Based Field Training: Immersing handlers and K9s in high-pressure, real-world operational environments

  • Advanced Handler-K9 Communication: Enhancing clarity and teamwork to improve field success rates

  • Operational Readiness: Preparing K9 teams to work alongside rangers, specialist investigators, and law enforcement agencies in complex anti-poaching and trafficking operations

 

A Lasting Impact

 

The 17 participants of this program are now equipped to train and guide other handlers, significantly expanding the reach of their expertise. This network of highly trained K9 professionals strengthens wildlife protection strategies across South Africa, ensuring a scalable, sustainable impact in the fight against poaching and wildlife crime.

Thanks to our partners, Elephant Cooperation’s, generous sponsorship, GCF continues to provide cutting-edge training that combines technical expertise, field-tested skills, and leadership development—building a global community of highly capable K9 teams dedicated to protecting wildlife and ecosystems under threat.