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Antipoaching Nose Job
Pooch It may seem odd to trim a
rhino’s horn (see the story at
Around the PARTNERSHIP left), but that’s a common
country, teams are practice in zoos. Rhino
horns grow constantly and
fighting the good sometimes need to be trimmed
to keep them from becoming
fight against those too long or sharp. This is
especially important to keep
who undermine the law. Super- rhinos safe when they are
being introduced to each other
heroes? No, they’re dog-and-han- for breeding purposes.
dler teams at airports working to In some ways, trimming
a rhino horn is a lot like
sniff out illegal animal parts being trimming fingernails. Rhino
horns are made of keratin,
smuggled into this country. The the same material as human
fingernails. It doesn’t hurt but
Chicago Zoological Society has does require a special tool
called a Gigli saw. Animal care
been able to help with this effort. staff carefully notch a horn
and then, over time, move
Recently, a U.S. Fish & this sharp wire back and forth
until the horn is removed. Like
Wildlife Service Office of other care procedures, a trim
is performed in cooperation
Law Enforcement dog-and- with a rhino using positive
reinforcement training in a
handler unit based at O’Hare protective chute.
International Airport requested In the wild, conservationists
trim rhino horns so that
a donation of a small portion of rhino horn for the Canine program coordinator Ryan Colburn poachers won’t hunt the
and wildlife inspector Amanda Dickson train animals for these body parts,
cause. Animal care staff here occasionally trim the her partner Lancer to detect potentially illegal which are valued for their
products made from rhino horns. The Chicago supposed medicinal properties.
horns of our rhinos, so it was no problem to oblige. Zoological Society donated this portion of horn.
Currently, the dogs in the program are trained to For the dogs in the program—typically young
Labrador retrievers that often are rescued from
catch the scent of products from five types of animals: kennels or offered up by owners who no longer
want them—the “work” is really a game. Searching
elephants (specifically ivory), pythons, sea horses, luggage, packages, and cargo behind the scenes
keeps them mentally stimulated and physically
sea turtles, and rhinos. In addition to Chicago, these alert all day long, and snagging a treat for finding
a hidden item doesn’t hurt. Plus, the dogs receive
units—consisting of one dog and one handler— the same careful treatment as the animals here
at the zoo. For example, they are trained using
also operate in airports in Los Angeles, Anchorage, positive reinforcement, receiving rewards like a
treat when they exhibit a requested behavior.
Miami, Houston, Hawaii, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
During their career, the dogs live in spacious
Sadly, there’s a need for the coverage. Every few kennels near O’Hare. But when they are retired,
usually around nine years old, their handlers have the
weeks at O’Hare alone, the team of Amanda Dickson first option to adopt them, so they end their time of
service by living out their lives with a friendly face.
and her canine partner Lancer catch at least one
illegal item, which can be anything from a drink cup
or a knife handle to a whole horn. Some items they
find are registered and are entering the country
legally, but many are not, the consequence of
poaching that kills rhinos and other animals. (There’s
one small upside to this unlawful trade: sometimes
the Office of Law Enforcement donates confiscated
items to schools, museums, and nature centers so
they can be used for educational purposes.)
BROOKFIELD ZOO | WINTER 2016/17 7
