WITH the increased levels of snaring, high demand for their services, and an ever increasing footprint of areas under their care – members of Snare Aware are stretched thin.
A member, whose identity cannot be disclosed due to safety concerns, said to add to that, their personal and work life commitments has made for a very busy year so far. “We have already removed 233 snares from 43 snare sweeps in 2024, with 96 snares in June alone,” said the member.
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They know that persistent pressure prevents poaching, but there are only so many areas they can persistently patrol and maintain a presence.
“It had been some time since we had swept through the Santo Alberto valley in Amanzimtoti, where a protracted duel with a group of poachers led to the removal of 458 snares over a 12 month period in our early days. After continuously returning empty handed during regular sweeps and ensuring this greenbelt had been clear of snares and human activity, we were able to turn our attention elsewhere,” said the member.
As some time had passed, and some new access points were noticed (mainly due to water infrastructure maintenance), Snare Aware decided that they needed to resweep this valley.
“So a small team headed in, and straight to one of the main pathways where many snares had previously been found. It wasn’t long before the first snare was found, made from the same green pallet strapping that 95% of the previous snares were made from. Seventeen snares for the day took our tally to 475 active snares removed from this one valley alone,” said the member.
As hard as the members are working in every area of the province, they cannot rest on their laurels and therefore appeal to all who can assist to help them on their mission.
To get involved, contact Snare Aware through its Facebook or Instagram pages. To report any poaching incidents you may witness, contact SAcan WhatsApp 083 799 1916 or hotline 086 167 2226.
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