Squad of native dog breeds to detect wildlife crimes

Four pups of Indian breeds inducted into Forest Dept. after three-month training

Four dogs — Valavan, Kaduvan, Kaaligan and Athavai — are set to become new stars of the Forest Department in the State. These five-month old pups have been inducted into the country’s first dog squad of native breeds formed to detect wildlife crimes. The dogs, Valavan of Kanni breed and others of Chippiparai, both from Tamil Nadu, were deployed at four forest divisions last week after the completion of three-month training in the Tamil Nadu Forestry Training College (TNFTC), Vaigai Dam. According to TNFTC principal R. Rajmohan, the department is the first in the country to have inducted native breeds to detect wildlife crimes.