GUWAHATI: India's first dog which was deployed for anti-poaching activities has died here due to old age.
12-year-old Zorba was a member of K9, the country's first dog squad engaged for fighting wildlife crimes.
Notably, the K9 squad comprised of 6 Belgian Malinois dogs with their handlers, have been actively assisting authorities in the Kaziranga and Manas National Parks of Assam as well as other rhino-inhabited areas in the state resulting in the detention of many poachers.
A male Belgian Malinois, Zorba was also the first dog in the entire squad and has the rare feat of nabbing over 60 poachers by assisting in operations launched by law enforcement agencies. He was given a tearful farewell by wildlife activists at a solemn burial ceremony organised here on Tuesday.
Earlier on this year's Independence Day, he was honoured for his services with an Assamese 'gamosa' and a citation.
During most of his tenure with law enforcement agencies since 2012 till his retirement in 2019, Zorba served at the Kaziranga National Park. In this duration, assisted to apprehend several miscreants involved in rhino poaching. He also served at other national parks of the state on some occasions.
In one of the operations at the Orang National Park, the elite dog assisted the forces by giving vital clues from a particular crime scene which ultimately led to the identification of a suspect. The suspect was later arrested from outside the National Park.
It may be highlighted here that the country's first dog squad for wildlife crimes was established in Assam under the initiative of 'Aaranyak', a biodiversity organisation in 2011.
The CEO of the biodiversity organisation Bibhab Talukdar said, "Zorba's contribution during his lifetime will always be remembered and we will always regard him as a conservation hero."
Also, Zorba's handler Anil Kumar Das said that many rich memories with him.
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