Jeremy Wikner doesn't want to imagine a future where rhinos are extinct.
Which is why the Canberra canine trainer is donating his dog Hans, a Belgian malinois, to help protect the critically endangered species.
In the coming months, the two-year-old pup will fly to the eastern cape of South Africa to work on a reserve deterring and catching poachers who hunt rhinos for their horns.
The country is home to the biggest population of white rhinos and about 13,000 of them remain in the wild. The number of wild black rhinos is even smaller with just over 2000 remaining.
"My grandchildren may never see a rhino in the wild, they might be lucky if they see one of them the zoo," Mr Wikner said.
"It's scary."
While Hans working in a high-risk environment is a concern, Mr Wikner is confident he will thrive at Kilo9Academy, a non-profit conservation group outside of Grahamstown.
Hans has been tracking scents since he was a pup.
He'll be working as a deterrent for poachers on the reserve, along with tracking and finding "poachers' camps" to bring them to justice.
At first glance, he seems like a friendly and affectionate dog, but can immediately turn vicious on command.
Mr Wikner describes him as an "Energizer Bunny" who's got a lot of work cut out for him.
"I've got the great privilege of having a dog who actually can do something about [the rhino crisis]," the trainer said. "What's most important to me is that all the dogs I raise have a job where they directly contribute to the better of society, or in this case, the world."
His previous canine graduates have worked with the Australian Army and Western Australia Police Force, but a lack of demand for trained dogs prompted Mr Wikner to donate Hans.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
