THE Snare Aware team has discovered a total of five cats caught in snares after tackling two areas in the Amanzimtoti area recently.
The first place the small team headed to was an area in Doon Heights not previously covered by Snare Aware. While they were pleasantly surprised to see signs of wildlife in the green belt, there were also a few worrying signs of criminal activity.
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“Four canoes have been dumped in this bush. Then there was a pile of clothes wrapped around a few tools, probably being used as a ‘crime kit’. And as always, lots of illegal dumping on the edges of the bush,” said a member of Snare Aware, whose identity cannot be disclosed due to safety reasons.
Although only one active snare and one inactive snare were found, another sweep will need to be done again in the future, as the area was bigger than they originally expected.
“Also a lot of wild growth could be hiding more snares, so a few more boots on the ground would be more beneficial after this initial scouting,” said the member.
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The second area they covered was an area where previously they had found two dead cats and a vervet monkey. The member said, “Ten minutes into the sweep, we came across our first victim. Another cat – luckily this one still alive.”
The team acted quickly and cut the snare from the anchor point and ran the cat back up the hill and handed it to a friend on the property adjacent to the area, where they managed to remove the snare from its waist. “She is currently undergoing treatment, however, the wound is a lot worse than originally expected, but we are hopeful she will still make a full recovery,” they said.
The team headed back in and almost immediately found another active snare. Once this snare was removed, they followed the path and within 15m, found two more deceased cats, both with signs of a horrible struggle to free themselves.
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This brings a total of five cats being snared in this green belt and a total of 25 snares removed so far – unfortunately, six of them with dead animals in them.
“An ongoing search for the owners of these cats is in progress to at least provide some closure, however, this carnage just shows the dangers of allowing your pets to free-roam.
“We fully support the building of catios and pet enclosures for your beloved pets and encourage any cat owners to do some research and see how cheaply it can be built. It may just save your pet’s life. Thank you to all involved in the rescue and treatment of the surviving cat,” said the member.
For more information, visit their Facebook page or follow them on Instagram: Snare Aware.
If you see any poaching activity – packs of dogs or people with snares or even carrying wildlife, contact SAcan on WhatsApp 083 799 1916 or SAcan Hotline 086 167 2226.
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