
WDDU
Malawi, 2020
The Wildlife Detection Dog Unit (WDDU) is on the frontline of Malawi’s war against wildlife crime. The five dogs and nine handlers not only deter poaching and help preserve wildlife populations, they fight against the illegal wildlife trade which is suspected of having led to repeated outbreaks of viruses which are highly contagious, and deadly: e.g. MERS, SARS, Swine Flu, and now COVID-19.
The WDDU is based near Kamuzu International Airport (KIA), outside Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital. KIA is both the country’s busiest airport, and was Africa’s second biggest wildlife trafficking hub, until the WDDU began their daily patrols there.
Thanks to their help, Malawi has, in the space of a few years, gone from one of Africa’s primary illegal wildlife trafficking centers to a nation with some of the strongest legislation in the world. What was a $40 fine for committing a wildlife crime is now a five-year sentence, on average. There are hundreds of arrests a year, with a custodial rate of 90%, and 2019 marked the first time that a non-African national was sent to jail for wildlife crime. This is a remarkable transformation for a small African nation which, until recently, was considered an ideal hub for wildlife trafficking.
Wildlife Detection Dog Unit handler Kinord and dog Danna take a break from searching the luggage of departing passengers at Kamuzu International Airport, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU handlers Benjamin (left) and Kinord play with dog Danna while waiting to search departing passengers at Kamuzu International Airport, Lilongwe, 2020.
WDDU handler Agnes and dog Max search luggage belonging to arriving passengers at Kamuzu International Airport, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU Martha, and dog Tim, Kamuzu International Airport, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU Danna, Malawi, 2020. Danna, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois, was the last of 5 dogs to join the unit.
WDDU handler Peter and dog Tim, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU handler Kinord watches as Danna indicates that she has found a suspicious scent on a departing passenger’s bag, Kamuzu International Airport.
WDDU Ian holds a handful of bullets he plans to use during a training session at the cargo halls at KIA airport. In the background handler Martha, and dog Danna wait for their turn to go and search.
WDDU handler Martha and dog Danna search through the imported cargo hall at Kamuzu International Airport.
WDDU handler Hardwell, Kamuzu International Airport, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU head Iain and dog Bubba search behind a bed during a mock raid, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU handlers Benjamin and Kinord, and dog Max walk through the imported cargo hall at Kamuzu International Airport.
WDDU dog Tim search a row of plastic jerrycans on the back of a truck at a police road block, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU handler Agnes and dog Max search a mini bus at a police roadblock, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU Tim searches a minibus at a police road block. The WDDU uses Malawi Police roadblocks to search vehicles for illegal wildlife products being smuggled in and out of Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital.
WDDU handler Peter and dog Tim search a truck loaded with elephant grass at a police roadblock.
WDDU handler Boniface collects pieces of hippo tooth after completing a search of a house during a mock raid.
WDDU handler Benjamin and dog Nikita, walk past container stacks during a training session at Bridge Shipping, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU handler Benjamin and dog Nikita search a container during a training session at Bridge Shipping, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU handler Benjamin with dog Nikita, Bridge Shipping, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU handler Benjamin and dog Nikita walk through a loading hall at Bridge Shipping during a training session.
During a training session, WDDU head Ian, gets dog Bubba, to identify Mulanje Cedar. In the background, the unit’s scent wall, which the handlers also use to train their dogs on new and existing scents.
WDDU handler Earnest and dog Danna, Kamuzu International Airport, Malawi, 2020.
Back at base, WDDU handler Agnes waits for dog Max to exit the unit’s transport vehicle after their shift is over, Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.
WDDU handler Hardwell takes a break from grooming Max in a holding pen at the WDDU kennels Lilongwe, Malawi, 2020.