AWF Hands Over Canine Unit to Strengthen Tanzania’s Fight Against Wildlife Trafficking

Arusha, Tanzania, 21st  October 2025, The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has officially handed over a newly constructed Canine Facility to the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), marking a major milestone in the country’s sustained efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade and protect its rich biodiversity. The handover ceremony, held at the TAWA Northern Zone offices in Njiro, Arusha, symbolizes Tanzania’s growing leadership in deploying homegrown strategies to curb wildlife crime across key trafficking routes.

The Canines for Conservation Program, launched by AWF in 2015, was designed to strengthen detection and enforcement capabilities of wildlife agencies against wildlife trafficking. Over the past decade, AWF and TAWA’s partnership has evolved into a robust, results-oriented initiative that has equipped Tanzania’s law enforcement with highly trained wildlife detection dogs and skilled canine handlers. The new canine facility in Arusha, requested by TAWA in 2024, ensures that the Northern zone of the country now has its own fully operational base, complementing the existing canine unit at Mbezi Beach in Dar es Salaam, whose canine facility was handed over to TAWA by AWF in February 2023.

The facility in Arusha features six kennels with dog runs, a store, an office, an emergency room, and two accommodation units for night handlers. It provides a secure and conducive environment for both handlers and dogs, ensuring operational readiness and long-term sustainability. The handover is a culmination of years of capacity building, resource investment, and technical collaboration between AWF and TAWA to enhance the integrity and efficiency of Tanzania’s anti-trafficking systems.

Speaking during the handover, Pastor Magingi, AWF Country Coordinator for Tanzania, reaffirmed AWF’s commitment to empowering African governments and wildlife agencies to take the lead in conservation and law enforcement.

“This milestone underscores our belief that conservation success must be built on African leadership, local capacity, and institutional ownership,” Magingi said. “The TAWA Canine Unit demonstrates how partnerships can transform from external support into nationally owned systems that drive long-term results. By handing over this facility, AWF is proud to strengthen TAWA’s independence and sustainability in leading the fight against wildlife crime.”

The Canine Units in Tanzania have demonstrated remarkable success since their inception. Cumulatively, 12 detection dogs have been procured, trained, and deployed across Dar es Salaam and Arusha, while 21 TAWA officers have completed comprehensive handler training, including modules on evidence management and admissibility of canine evidence in court. These efforts have resulted in over 117 successful finds of illegal wildlife products, contributing to numerous arrests and prosecutions. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, the Arusha team searched 754 flights, screened 155,812 cargo items and 330,193 pieces of luggage, and carried out 15 intelligence-led operations, which led to nine wildlife contraband finds and ten traffickers arrested.

Didi Wamukoya, AWF’s Director for Counter Wildlife Trafficking, noted that the program’s success is rooted in its investment in people, systems, and standards that meet global enforcement benchmarks.

“This partnership represents one of the most effective models for integrating wildlife detection dogs into national law enforcement,” Wamukoya said. “AWF has worked closely with TAWA to develop Tanzania’s Canine Strategy, Standard Operating Procedures, and certification standards, ensuring that these units operate with professionalism, integrity, and accountability. The results speak for themselves; Tanzania’s canine units are now recognized as a regional benchmark for excellence in wildlife detection.”

TAWA’s leadership commended AWF’s consistent partnership and the transition toward national ownership.

“The establishment of this new facility marks a turning point for us,” said Major General (Rtd) Hamis R. Semfuko, Chairman of TAWA Board of Directors. “It gives us full control of our Canine Unit, expands our operational reach across northern Tanzania, and enhances our ability to safeguard the country’s wildlife from traffickers. This is not just infrastructure; it is a statement of our determination to protect Tanzania’s natural heritage and a legacy for future generations.”

Over the years, AWF has supported the canine units with vehicles, specialized training, office and dog-handling equipment, veterinary care, and technical guidance, ensuring that the program remains functional and responsive. The foundation’s holistic approach, combining infrastructure, human capacity, and operational tools, has helped embed the Canine for Conservation Program within TAWA’s broader strategy to curb wildlife trafficking across borders and trade routes.

The facility handover marks a crucial step of AWF transitioning the canine unit to full TAWA management; both organizations reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation in conservation law enforcement. The handover marks not an end, but a continuation of Tanzania’s leadership in combatting wildlife crime through African-led solutions.

“Wildlife trafficking threatens not just species, but livelihoods, economies, and the integrity of entire ecosystems,” added Magingi. “By strengthening local institutions like TAWA, we are ensuring that Tanzania remains at the forefront of Africa’s conservation and law enforcement leadership.”

About the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA)

The Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) is a semi-autonomous Government institution established under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) with the primary responsibility of conserving, protecting, and managing wildlife resources outside National Parks and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Authority serves as a key institution in implementing national wildlife conservation policies and ensuring the sustainable use of Tanzania’s natural heritage.

TAWA was formally established through Government Notice No. 135 of May 9, 2014, in accordance with the Executive Agencies Act, Cap. 245, and became fully operational in 2016. Its establishment marked a significant milestone in strengthening institutional efficiency, accountability, and professionalism in wildlife management across the country.

The Authority’s core mandate includes the protection of wildlife against illegal activities such as poaching and trafficking, the promotion of sustainable wildlife utilization, the management of Game Reserves, Game Controlled Areas, and Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), as well as the facilitation of community-based conservation initiatives.

About the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) 
The African Wildlife Foundation is the primary advocate for protecting wildlife and their habitats as an essential part of a modern and prosperous Africa. Founded in 1961 during the African independence movement to build the continent’s capacity to steward its natural resources, AWF bridges science, policy, and community action to secure a future where people and wildlife thrive.