New Gear, Expanded Training, and the Next Operational Chapter for GCF K9 Kesa and Handler Lauren Watine

After extensive international training and operational preparation, GCF K9 Kesa is officially on her way back to the Americas to begin the next phase of wildlife conservation and protection efforts in Central America alongside her new handler, Lauren Watine.

Kesa is no stranger to operational conservation work. Since 2020, she has actively supported rhino conservation and wildlife protection operations across South Africa, contributing to conservation deployments connected to ivory, pangolin, and lion bone investigations. Her operational background includes strategic conservation locations such as Kruger National Park, OR Tambo International Airport, Addo Elephant National Park, and other important wildlife protection regions and transit points.

Lauren first began this journey by attending and successfully completing the 2025 GCF Intro to Anti-Poaching Course. Following the course, she remained in South Africa supporting extended GCF field operations focused on rhino conservation and counter-snaring activities in the field. She later advanced into the GCF 2026 “K9 Handler & Operational K9 Training Course | Netherlands: Counter-Wildlife Trafficking, Tracking and Trailing, Scent Detection for Wildlife Conservation and Wildlife Protection Operations,” where she excelled under the instructors and operational mentors throughout the program. Between K9 training and handler development this last month, Lauren also completed her TECC (Tactical Emergency Casualty Care) training segment while linking up with Instructor Chris Laursen and our partner anti-poaching unit at Bucklands Game Reserve. This added another layer of field preparedness and emergency response capability as she transitions deeper into conservation operations and wildlife protection work.

Combined with over 15 years of experience in wildlife conservation, including work with U.S. National Parks and extensive conservation field work in Central America tied to her PhD Ecology studies and field research, Lauren became the ideal candidate to be paired with Kesa for advanced conservation canine deployment.

Over the last month, Lauren and Kesa have continued training and operational integration together at our partner location, the Endangered Wildlife Trust in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is also where GCF K9 Reaper and handler Shadi support wildlife conservation interventions and operational conservation programs alongside airports, law enforcement, and conservation entities across the region. Lauren and Kesa now move into their pre-advanced operational training phase with Mike Veale, focusing on high-risk suspect tracking, field search operations, and endangered species research detection work. The endangered species detection component will also be supported alongside Rita Santos, continuing to expand the team’s conservation detection and scientific field research capabilities.

As Kesa transitions into active deployment in the Americas, we’re continuing to build out the operational equipment and field gear needed to keep both dog and handler mission-ready in demanding environments. From scent detection and tracking operations to conservation patrol support and endangered species research, every piece of equipment directly contributes to safety, capability, scientific research, and conservation impact in the field.

One of the most important parts of conservation canine work is ensuring these dogs are not only valued for their operational contributions, but also for the lives they live beyond the field. When the day eventually comes that Kesa is ready to retire from active operational work, she will remain with Lauren in her forever home and retirement. After years spent protecting wildlife and supporting conservation efforts, Kesa will get to enjoy life to the fullest as a jungle dog, continuing her journey surrounded by the environments and people she helped protect.

We’re incredibly proud of the dedication, training, and collaboration that brought this team together, and we’re excited to see Lauren and Kesa begin this next chapter supporting biodiversity protection, endangered species research, and wildlife conservation operations throughout Central America.

Safe travels to Lauren and Kesa as they make their way back across the world and prepare for deployment. The work ahead is only just beginning.