"It is an honour to have Killer by my side," said his handler Amos Mzimba.

'Killer' gets PDSA Gold Medal for devoted service

A tracker dog helping to save the African rhinoceros from extinction has been awarded the PDSA Gold Medal - the highest honour a civilian animal can receive for bravery and devotion.

Killer is a five-year-old Belgian malinois dog, whose ability to track poachers has led to 115 arrests to date. He is the most successful dog working with Kruger National Park's special operations team in South Africa.

When armed poachers are spotted, or a dead rhino is discovered, Killer is flown in with his handler Amos Mzimba to track and apprehend those responsible.

The pair may be deployed at the park several times a day and Killer's ability to detect suspects early is key to keeping his handler and the rest of their team safe.

Mr Mzimba said: "It is an honour to have Killer by my side. It means a lot that he has been recognised for his skills and assistance in tracking and arresting poachers.

"Thanks to him, we are arresting more poachers, but there is a lot more to be done if we are to save the rhino from extinction. Killer is invaluable in achieving that."

As the number of rhino killings rose from 448 to 1,215 between 2011 and 2014 alone, Killer's tracking skills are becoming ever-more integral to the fight against poaching.

He is only the 24th dog in the world to receive the PDSA Gold Medal. Bruce Leslie from the Environmental Crimes Investigations Unit, who nominated him for the award, said he stands out for his "tenacity and dedication".

The medal was formally presented by comedian Ricky Gervais, who paid tribute to Killer's "huge contribution" to rhino protection in South Africa.

"Rhinos are wonderful creatures that are being killed in their hundreds by these poachers and that job falls to our rangers," he said. "Killer and his colleagues are fighting back."

Image courtesy of the PDSA