CORPUS CHRISTI (KIII NEWS) — A South African Conservationist and a Refugio rancher teamed up to help save the remaining rhino population in Africa.
"A huge iconic animal like a rhino falling into extinction," Ivan Carter said. "How can we let that happen?"
Carter made it his life mission to help save endangered species.
He said Rhino horn is one of the most expensive commodities known to man. and it is worth ten times the value of cocaine on the street.
"There's people that are prepared to go to all lengths to try and steal it, get some of it," Carter said.
To help, Carter called on his old friend, Refugio rancher and houndsman Joe Braman, to see the horrific repercussions of rhino poaching.
"They're still alive," Braman said. "Paralyzed with their horn removed. Just laying there suffering and that's what hits so hard with me."
After his trip to South Africa, Braman returned home determined and ready to work.
He trained hounds day and night for 15 months.
"I went through 131 dogs to get this 70," Braman said.
Not only are the hounds trained to track, they also attack. And it was not an not easy task.
Some of the hounds need to be able to find poachers over 20 miles away.
"You're gonna use two dogs to run four miles," Braman said. "To catch those, put them in the trailer, water them, put two more out and and so forth and so on kind of like leap froggin."
In just a few weeks, 20 of the hounds will head overseas to the South African Wildlife College.
"I believe in these dogs with all of my heart," Braman said.
And if they do as well as expected, the program will grow to more dogs and expanded territory.
"Anybody that doubts them," Braman said. "Lay a track and let me see if I can catch you. You can't get away."
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