WWF deploys sniffer dog to combat wildlife crime in Austria

The WWF has expanded its wildlife protection efforts in Austria by deploying a new sniffer dog named Finn to assist police in combating wildlife crime. The five-year-old shepherd mix is trained to detect animal carcasses and poison baits, which can provide critical evidence for investigations and prevent further harm to local fauna.

Finn will primarily operate in Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Styria. His ability to locate hazards in dense or vast wooded areas offers a significant advantage over human search teams. This deployment follows a report by the WWF and BirdLife documenting 310 cases of wildlife crime in Austria between 2017 and 2025, including illegal shootings, trapping, and poisoning of endangered species.

Finn joins another WWF sniffer dog, Lea, who is stationed in Tyrol. The organization aims to establish a nationwide network of certified human-dog teams to combat illegal wildlife persecution across the country.