Poaching of rhinos in Kaziranga had long posed a serious threat, and forest rangers required more effective methods to identify the culprits. An unexpected helper emerged in the fight against this problem—a specially trained dog named Zorba.
According to reports, only 20 rhinos were captured in Kaziranga in 2007, while no less than 170 individuals died between 2009 and 2015. Tracking poachers across the vast forest territory was a difficult task.
Thanks to the exceptional olfactory abilities of the trained dog, forest rangers were able to locate hidden poachers who tried to hide after committing a crime. These abilities helped in detecting concealed weapons, tracking escape routes, and identifying crucial evidence.
In 2011, the conservation organization Aaranyak launched a K9 unit in Assam, including Zorba, who is a Belgian Malinois. Since 2012, he has primarily worked in Kaziranga, assisting forest rangers in investigating rhino poaching cases.
Zorba's outstanding sense of smell quickly made him a valuable partner in hunting down poachers. His partner, Goura Baidya, described him as 'simply unstoppable' once he caught a scent.
During one investigation, Zorba discovered a camera trap in a pond. The photos retrieved from it captured poachers in action and provided decisive evidence that helped authorities arrest them.
In another operation, Zorba tracked a blood trail left by an injured poacher for almost 1.5 kilometers, allowing forest rangers to find the suspect.
By 2018, Zorba had participated in 18 successful operations. Over his eight-year career, he helped rangers identify over 60 poachers. He retired in 2019 and passed away in 2022.
In 2022, zero cases of rhino poaching were registered in Assam, a significant milestone achieved through years of conservation and law enforcement efforts. Zorba's contribution lives on through other trained K9 dogs protecting wildlife.