Emirates SkyCargo Flies K9 Unit to Zimbabwe for Frontline Duty

Emirates SkyCargo Supports K9 Operations in Matusadona

Vega and Kuda, two Belgian Malinois trained for wildlife conservation, have arrived safely in Zimbabwe after being transported by Emirates SkyCargo from London to Harare via Dubai in partnership with UK charity Dogs 4 Wildlife.

The dogs are now based at Matusadona National Park, where they are undergoing integration training with park rangers. They form part of the park’s first specialist conservation K9 team.

Since arriving in Zimbabwe, Vega and Kuda have completed more than 185 hours of practical training with six specialist K9 handlers. The programme has included more than 60 human-scent tracking exercises, focused on helping the dogs detect and track potential poaching activity.

The first phase has also introduced welfare guidelines and Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) for the dogs, providing a framework for the ongoing operation of the K9 unit.

Emirates SkyCargo Supports Wildlife Protection

Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo, said the airline was supporting Dogs 4 Wildlife in its work to protect wildlife and ecosystems at Matusadona National Park.

Emirates SkyCargo has also outlined measures to address illegal wildlife trafficking. The airline does not transport hunting trophies and has trained frontline teams to identify, report and respond to potential wildlife trafficking risks.

Emirates is also a founding signatory of the Buckingham Palace Declaration, working with United for Wildlife on efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.

Emirates Holds Wildlife Trafficking Workshop in Dubai

Emirates recently hosted a multi-stakeholder workshop in Dubai focused on illegal wildlife trade and coordination across the aviation sector.

The workshop brought together representatives from the Emirates Group, Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, Dubai Customs, Dubai Police, Dubai Airports, Al Ain Municipality and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

Participants discussed early detection, reporting procedures, coordination between organisations, animal welfare and biosecurity through case studies and practical scenarios.

The initiative forms part of Emirates’ efforts to improve awareness and coordination around wildlife trafficking risks across its operations.

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