Majestic Tree H
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Registered: Nov 2005
Location: New Market Va
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Linda Will be headed back to the US next week to start training the 2 New Pups Tessa droped off at her home in Co. a few weeks ago .. This is her last report from Africa .. Sound Like a Very Rough Place for Hounds to Be Working !!!!!
Subject: Final Mara Update
Date: Mar 28, 2011 8:53 AM
Jambo,
Our time in Kenya is coming to a close. I have been here 3 months. John joined me in March to complete the training. We are ready to be back is the US but will miss Kenya and the friends we have made here. We had a small celebration yesterday. We bought a goat on the escarpment and the guys prepared it for lunch. We had Goat, beef, cabbage, rice and chapati with pineapple and Fanta soda for the meal. I tend to stay away from the goat meat. Its very strong but the beef was good.
We will complete this last week of training working with the patrol units trying to integrate them into the K9 deployment process as best we can. It can be very complicated as the biggest threat here for K9 handlers and search team members are animals like elephants, buffalo, Lions and leopards, and sometimes they have to deploy in thickets where you can't see 4 feet in front of you or the guy walking next to you. It gets worse at night and is just extremely dangerous under day or night conditions. Tactically it"s a nightmare..... or daymare.... Ok Both.. I think it would be a challenge even for the best tactical trainers. It's something we really never have to deal with in our regular training at home unless its a vicious dog.... believe me this place makes that senerio look so unimportant at this point. To top things off, they are also severely limited in resources with things like weapons, no night vision, very few radios, no ballistic gear and a limited number of vehicles. Things we take for granted everyday that help us do our jobs are very limited here. Its just amazing how they manage without these things. While we have been here we have been charged elephants we did not see in time and almost had to jump off a ledge into the river to get out of way while on foot in the brush areas. The snakes are around more now since its into rainy season. I don't even want to know how many I've passed by hanging in trees or on the ground that I didn't even see. The one we did come close to where huge and deadly poisonous. These are just a few of the challenges we have had to deal with here.
The track contamination problems caused by the hundreds of different animals are extreme and very difficult for the K9s to overcome or run through. Its very difficult tracking conditions on a daily basis. The Hynea's and baboons really mess up the dogs and cause terrible distractions for them. We have had some luck with the pups that were born here being a little more acclimated to the environment but it is difficult to keep them healthy from all the disease's they can contract from running in the bush. Tse tse flies, parasites and tick related illnesses are a constant threat to the dogs health and they have to be monitored constantly for signs of health problems. Right now they are all being treated for a weird skin infection. Its endless vigilance.
But despite the challenges they are determined to succeed and thats what makes the program work. One of the K9s we brought here on the first trip now has 42 deployments that have resulted in captures assists to some degree in the apprehension of suspected poachers, murders or thieves. The other dog has 4 finds. Unfortunately one of the 3 dogs we brought over has already died from a Tse Tse fly infection. We hope the 4 pups we have helped train will survive the hardships and overcome the difficulties.
We still have work to do and we have had some pretty big road blocks but all in all its been a very positive project that has taken 2 years and 4 trips but its finally coming together for the rangers and dog handlers. Thankfully, through good training and proofing the Conservancy now has a very REALISTIC and positive view of trailing work and the future of its dogs. Its been a humbling experience for all but incredibly valuable from a trainer or dog handlers perspective.
I, personally am going to miss the Tusker beer, chapati ( a home made bread) the landscape, wildlife and sunsets, but most of all I will miss the people we have worked with here in this crazy, wild and beautiful place.
See you all next week unless the no fly zone extends to east africa or the elephants go on a rampage...... LOL
Me
PS I have even learned some Swahili......
I just published some new photos to my MobileMe Gallery that I'd like to share with you. To check them out, just visit the link below.
Kenya 2011
http://gallery.me.com/cta50/100182
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02-25-2011 08:52 PM
