Woman works to save rhinos
20.08.2019 | Mariana Balt
Precious Malapane playing with, but actually already training, the litter of puppies born at the SAWC.
She hails from one of the poorest communities near the Kruger National Park, but dog handler Precious Malapane (23) plays a big role in saving rhinos.
Malapane trains free-range tracker dogs at the K9 unit at the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) near Orpen Gate.
While she was still a primary pupil at a school in the Welverdiend area, she was introduced to the ranger profession during outings to the college, situated mere kilometres from her village.
“I listened in awe to college CEO Theresa Sowry explaining to us what important work rangers do,” she remembered.
Her dream was born. After matric, Precious enrolled for a conservation course at the college in 2017.
During visits to the K9 unit she lost her heart to the dogs and applied for an internship. Unfortunately she could not be accommodated at the time, but dog master Johan van Straaten remembered her keen interest.
Malapane went on to accept a position as environmental educator at Balule Nature Reserve, but to her delight one day she got the expected call from Van Straaten that an opening at the K9 Unit was available.
Since the day she started there, she has been in her element. “I love every minute of working with the dogs, especially now that we have our first set of home-bred puppies to train,” she admitted. “I am growing all the time and appreciate the opportunity to be involved with these animals, my colleagues and the quest to save rhinos.”
At the college’s unit, a team of handlers are always on standby.
With their human leader, dogs are picked up by helicopter, dropped to find suspects and brought back to the unit again.
During their training the dogs are exposed to several factors that would prepare them for their duties and helicopter rides.
Puppies are taught from a young age through play to gain confidence, chase people, tolerate high noise levels and not be scared of flying.
“We run with them a lot, always let them ‘win’ and make a lot of noise – even while they get fed,” said Malapane.
They can go out to work from a year and a half old, when their hormones have settled and muscles are built. Malapane said every dog quickly shows its strong points, whether it is tracking or competing, solely determined by temperament.
Although the bond between a handler and an on-line tracker dog is not created, a trainer always trains their own pack.
Precious Malapane and Robynne Wasas with one of the dogs trained and kept on standby at the SAWC.