Maharashtra is set to establish a dedicated wildlife sniffer dog training centre in Shahapur, Thane district, with operations expected to begin next year. The initiative aims to strengthen efforts against illegal wildlife trade by enhancing the detection and investigation capabilities of authorities across India.

The centre will be developed through a partnership between the Maharashtra government and World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India), which has been involved in training wildlife detection dogs since 2008. This new facility is likely to be among the first in the country exclusively focused on preparing dog squads to combat wildlife smuggling.

India’s rich biodiversity is frequently targeted by smugglers trafficking animal parts and plant derivatives. The use of sniffer dogs has emerged as an effective strategy for detecting hidden contraband, contributing to more successful law enforcement actions. The Shahapur training centre is expected to expand this approach, enabling deployment of trained dog squads not only in Maharashtra’s protected tiger reserves but also in other states requesting support.

According to Dr. Dipankar Ghose, senior director of Biodiversity Conservation at WWF-India, the dogs will be trained to search for a wide range of illegal wildlife products. These include tiger and leopard bones and skins, elephant tusks, bear bile, deer antlers, pangolin scales, turtle shells, mongoose hairbrushes, as well as valuable plant substances like red sanders wood and caterpillar fungus. Their detection skills will apply in diverse settings—ranging from transit hubs and luggage inspections to searches in homes and buried caches.

The centre will also serve as a hub for training standardisation and capacity building, facilitating knowledge exchange among wildlife enforcement agencies. Enhanced coordination with bodies such as the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) is anticipated, thereby improving the overall response to wildlife crimes.

While the final dog breeds for the new centre have not been confirmed, previous WWF-India programmes have utilised German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, chosen for their exceptional scenting ability, agility, and trainability. Setting up the facility and training the first group of dogs are expected to take several months, with the initial batch likely to begin next year.

This development underscores increasing recognition of scientific and specialised approaches in wildlife protection, aiming to deter illegal trade and safeguard India’s endangered species and habitats.