Rosner uses snares collected over four years to create rhino sculpture
After four years of collecting snares, Conraad De Rosner, director of K9 Conservation is almost finished with a sculpture of a rhino made of the snares he collected which he plans to auction off when completed.
He hopes his artwork would travel around the world creating awareness of rhino poaching where ever it is exhibited. “Together with an information board, the message will be clear that without antipoaching units patrolling in the bush, there would be no more wild animals left. This artwork represents the reality of what we as field rangers are faced with on a daily basis out in the bush,” he told the Herald.
He says half a decade ago, the snaring problem that K9 Conservation was dealing with escalated to the point that he decided to make something creative out of all the wire and cable snares at their headquarters, an artwork that carries a powerful message for their conservation efforts. K9 Conservation is a registered antipoaching and security-providing company and has operated since 2011. Around 150 people, including field rangers, conservationists, and volunteers from all walks of life have removed these indiscriminate poaching devices from game farms in the area surrounding Hoedspruit.
He said their trained dogs with their keen sense of smell and high work drive to train play a critical part in their poaching operations. “From digging up hidden contraband to track wild animals that have been wounded by snares, these canine heroes have also earned their spot on the snare rhino statue as tags with their names on are tied to the snares that they helped us to find,” he said. “In the last six weeks close to a thousand snares were removed by our rangers, we play a constant game of cat and mouse against the poachers.
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Recently we have also been fighting against poachers poisoning the rivers to kill fish and crocodiles,” he added. He said that wire or cable snares are indiscriminate killing devices and cause agonising and slow death. Poachers can set anywhere from ten to 200 snares in one location, often near water or food sources, and return to check the snares every two to three days, often with animals caught in them. “The poachers can only carry that much meat, so in most cases, wildlife is left for hyaenas, jackals, and other scavengers and predators to feed on.
“Many owners have also lost their dogs and other beloved pets as well as domestic livestock to snares.” The artwork is 5,6 meters long, 2,4 meters high, and weighs approximately one and a half tons. It was created to fit into an international six-meter shipping crate. The proceeds of this artwork will go towards conservation and anti-poaching efforts to purchase much-needed kits and equipment such as trail cameras and night vision optics. Anyone interested in rhino art can contact Conraad at 083 232 6848.
