Project K9 by Asian Elephant Support

Asian Elephant Support (AES) is a U.S.-based non-profit organization committed to supporting the care and conservation of Asian elephants in their native habitats. We achieve this by empowering our partners in Asia with knowledge, skills, and resources. AES is launching Project K9, a GoFundMe campaign aimed at raising funds for Aaranyak’s working dogs, which play a crucial role in preventing wildlife trafficking for various species, including Asian elephants.

Aaranyak is a leading wildlife conservation organization located in Assam, India. They specialize in the conservation of diverse wildlife, including rhinos, tigers, Asian elephants, gibbons, birds, amphibians, and reptiles, as well as habitat restoration and counter-wildlife trafficking efforts in northeastern India. Assam, along with Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and West Bengal, shares international borders where illicit wildlife trafficking occurs. These borders serve as illegal trade routes for Indian wildlife and wildlife sourced from neighboring countries.

For the past three decades, Aaranyak has been actively involved in wildlife crime prevention. The organization operates K9 sniffer dog units, which are composed of trained Belgian Malinois. These dogs assist wildlife officials and law enforcement agencies in various terrains, helping with area dominance and crime scene investigations. Aaranyak's K9 sniffer dog program began in 2011 with one unit and has since expanded to seven working dog units stationed in protected areas.

Aaranyak collaborates closely with law enforcement authorities, protected area staff, the local judiciary, and other partners to enhance wildlife security and reduce wildlife crimes. They have conducted over 35 workshops to train protected area staff, police, and Central Armed Police Forces, leveraging the expertise of senior lawyers from the Guwahati High Court who specialize in wildlife crimes. These trainings also involve personnel from neighboring states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Mizoram. Aaranyak works hand-in-hand with the Assam State Legal Services Authority and District Legal Services Authorities to raise awareness in the judiciary about the importance and urgency of addressing wildlife crime, leading to greater prioritization in the courts. Due to consistent efforts of Aaranyak along with concerned government agencies, Assam has established 15 fast-track courts across 15 key districts in Assam to expedite wildlife cases effectively and as fast as possible.

We invite you to donate to Project K9 today to ensure that the K9 sniffer units receive the necessary funds to care for the working dogs. Your support will also help provide handler workshops and education to combat the illegal wildlife trade effectively.