‘Sweeping’ the bush to remove deadly snares
A small group of dedicated wildlife warriors are saving the coast's wildlife - one snare at a time.
A group of passionate wildlife lovers gathered on a farm inland of Melville to track down snares last Saturday.
The South Coast Anti-Snaring Group is headed up by Craig Saunders, a man on a mission to ‘overpower poachers’.
For Saunders, this is his hobby, and he voluntarily gives up his spare time on the weekends to remove these deadly traps set up by poachers, usually around the farmland areas.
Tens of thousands of animals lose their lives to snare hunting every year. In most cases, the animal caught in the snare lies caught in the trap for days before it dies a slow and cruel death.
“A trap removed means one less dead animal out there,” said Saunders.
One must be made aware that this is not a Saturday stroll through the botanical gardens. But rather hard work, especially if it’s a warm winter’s day.
A word of advice to anyone joining the next snare hunt: wear long pants and good walking shoes, bring a panga and water.
Also, bring your glasses – these wire snares are not easy to spot as poachers set up these devices in sneaky places in the dense bush.
The bush, in most cases, is bramble; the terrain is uneven and can be a challenge. If you are looking for a fitness workout, expect to be challenged with the added bonus of doing some yoga moves.
The upside is that Saturday’s group missioned through untouched natural forests and along the banks of a dry riverbed inland. The flora and fauna were fantastic; an owl and lots of animal spoor were spotted.
The team split into two groups, and communication channels were kept open by the use of two-way radios.
The aim is not to lose a team member in the wilderness.
The eagle-eyed members of the group uncovered four snares, adding to the team’s total collection of 427 snares collected since the project’s inception in 2021.
Saunders and those committed to the snare hunts once a month are trying to protect the remaining wildlife left on the South Coast.
If you would like to get involved or bring your friends, children and perhaps their friends to the next snare hunt, contact Saunders on 072 2587907.
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