On the go?

Get IOL's cool new iPad app...

Sniffer dogs outsmart ivory smugglers

Comment on this story


iol pic wld rhino horn_ivory

REUTERS

File photo

Kenyan security dogs at Nairobi airport Friday outsmarted traffickers and sniffed through a layer of pepper to uncover a 600-kilo cargo of ivory bound for Nigeria, a statement said.

“Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Canine Unit together with Police and Customs officials at Kenya's main airport in Nairobi have intercepted 345 pieces of raw ivory weighing 601 kg destined for Lagos, Nigeria,” KWS said.

“The ivory, packed in six crates and sprayed with pepper to prevent dogs from sniffing it, had been further covered with aluminium foil,” the wildlife service statement said.

It added that an investigation had been launched to determine who the smugglers were.

The illegal trade in ivory is fuelled by demand in Asia and the Middle East where elephant tusks and rhinoceros horns are used to make ornaments and in traditional medicines.

Africa is home to an estimated 472,000 elephants whose survival is threatened by poaching and illegal trade in game trophies, as well as rising population causing habitat loss. - AFP


sign up
 
 

Comment Guidelines



  1. Please read our comment guidelines.
  2. Login and register, if you haven’ t already.
  3. Write your comment in the block below and click (Post As)
  4. Has a comment offended you? Hover your mouse over the comment and wait until a small triangle appears on the right-hand side. Click triangle () and select "Flag as inappropriate". Our moderators will take action if need be.

     

Join us on

IOL-Social networks IOL-Social networks IOL-Social networks IOL-Social networks

Business Directory