By Mirriam Nasilele

After a remarkable career safeguarding Zambia’s precious wildlife, K9 Alna, a 9-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, has officially retired as of August 23, 2025. Alna’s unwavering dedication and exceptional skills have left an indelible mark on wildlife conservation efforts both within Zambia and across its borders.

Born on March 3rd, 2016, in the Netherlands, Alna joined the Chilanga K9 Unit in March 2017 at just one year old. Her primary handler, Jack Chainda, and secondary handler, Wilson Kaluba, forged an unbreakable bond with Alna, a partnership that proved instrumental in countless successful operations. After an intensive eight-week anti-poaching training program at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) Headquarters, Alna became operational on May 1st, 2017.

Alna was meticulously trained to detect a wide array of wildlife products, including rhino horn, ivory, big cat skins (of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas), honey badger skin, crocodile skin, abalone, bushmeat, as well as weapons and ammunition. Her professional expertise lay in wildlife detection, and her areas of operation spanned roadblocks, international airports (Kenneth Kaunda, Harry Mwangakumbula, and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe), cross-border operations at Kazungula, Kasumbalesa, and Chirundu, as well as village sweeps. These operations were conducted both routinely and based on intelligence-led insights.

Between 2017 and 2023, K9 Alna participated in approximately 210 operations across nine provinces in Zambia, resulting in an impressive 525 arrests. Her efforts significantly curbed illegal wildlife trafficking at both the regional and national levels. Towards the end of 2023, the Chilanga K9 Unit, with the support of WCP Zambia as a major sponsor, relocated to the Greater Kafue Landscape (GKLL) under a Memorandum of Understanding with African Parks through DNPW. This relocation, witnessed on August 8, 2024, brought Alna’s exceptional skills to Zambia’s largest park.

In her year at GKLL, Alna conducted approximately 36 routine and random roadblock and village sweep operations, resulting in two apprehensions. Most of these operations were strategically focused on deterring illegal wildlife trafficking within the park, particularly along the M9 road (Lusaka-Mongu Road).

Alna’s success stemmed from a unique combination of natural abilities and rigorous training. Her exceptional olfaction system, boasting 220 million odour sensory neurons compared to a human’s mere 5 million, allowed her to process scents with unparalleled speed and accuracy. Alna was trained to respond to passive indications, alerting to salient scents with pinpoint accuracy, a testament to her disciplined training. Her handlers, Jack and Wilson, maintained a close rapport with Alna, ensuring her optimal health and readiness through daily checks, grooming, and continuous training.

Alna’s journey was not without its challenges. She bravely battled health issues, including cancer and recurrent trypanosomiasis. During her cancer battle, her unwavering drive to work, even through pain, motivated the entire team. Special thanks are extended to WCP, in partnership with Dr. Tommy Asingu and European doctors, who provided crucial support for Alna’s medical care.

Given her age and the recurring health challenges, especially with the prevalence of tsetse flies in Kafue National Park, the veterinary team, African Parks, and WCP management deemed it appropriate for Alna to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. She has found a loving and comfortable home with Kerri, the CEO of Alinea Network, who is a devoted animal lover. Alna is currently thriving in her new environment, enjoying daily monitoring and exercise, with no new health challenges detected.

Alna was more than just a service dog; she was a beloved member of the K9 team and a joy to all who knew her. Her social nature and ease of working with others were evident, even when interacting with various handlers from around the world during a Working Dog Workshop in Zambia. The community deeply misses her, not only for her impactful work but also for her endearing personality.

Working dogs like Alna are indispensable to law enforcement, offering an unparalleled advantage with their superior olfactory capabilities and unwavering honesty. Alna’s dedication to her duties, even in challenging environments, will continue to inspire. She leaves behind a profound legacy, having impacted countless individuals and instilled confidence in the officers who worked alongside her.

As Wilson Kaluba and African Parks reflect on her absence at the kennels, the void left by Alna’s retirement will be keenly felt. Her indelible personality, loving, trustworthy, social, and perpetually eager to work, will be remembered forever. If Alna could speak, she would undoubtedly say, “I’ve overcome challenges, achieved goals, and continue to embrace new ones with strength and purpose.”