Snare Aware targets hotspot in Karridene
The organisation refuses to give up the fight against poachers who set up snares along the Karridene greenbelt.
AFTER a few weeks on the road offering their services and assistance, Snare Aware recently headed to their last active hotspot along the Karridene greenbelt, where they removed nine snares.
“Isn’t it great when the weekend comes around, and we can get to ‘work’ doing what we love doing most, walking our greenbelts and saving our wildlife by removing one snare at a time,” said a member whose identity cannot be disclosed due to safety concerns.
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After a few weeks on the road, travelling to various conservancies and other areas in need, the member said it was great to be back home and able to get into their last, still active hotspot.
“Time moves by quickly these days, and it has been longer than we had hoped since last being in the Karridene greenbelt, but it was our number one choice of area to sweep,” said the member.
The team headed straight towards the game path where the last snare from the area was removed. Sure enough, there was another new snare across the path. This was the fifth snare removed from the same pathway.
“And just a few meters away, the remains of a snare where a trapped animal had obviously chewed its way free. As well as a new snare just lying unattached on the ground, probably dropped by the poacher,” said the member.
The next few hours were a bit quiet with a lot of ground being covered. But once the hot area was discovered, another six active snares were found. All six were perfectly set in the classic ‘textbook’ way over the game path, with a prop up stick opposite the anchor point and the noose being hidden by the greenery of the bush pulled over it.
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The member said, “Snares ranged from a tiny wire with a small noose for the blue duiker, up to a very thick wire with large noose for bush pig. Unfortunately, no animal is left untargeted. Two large pit traps were also found, with sticks and leaves covering a deep hole that any animal will fall into if walking across it.”
After four hours of sweeping, the team reluctantly headed home, always on the lookout for ‘just one more’ on the way out. This area remains their hottest hotspot, but they will not budge.
“We will remain active here for as long as it takes for this poacher to realise that we are relentless in our struggle to remove these illegal snares that he keeps setting,” said the member.
Report any poaching incidents you may witness to SAcan WhatsApp 083 799 1916 or SAcan Hotline 086 167 2226.
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