Abundant snares in area pose a serious threat to animals
With areas like Heidel Valley, Brondal, Vergenoeg and Yaverland counting among some of the snare red zones in the Lowveld, residents should keep their eyes open for and report any they come across.
Mpumalanga Animal Crime Watch (MAWC) founder, Jaco Klopper, spends his days locating and removing snares all over the Lowveld and talked to White River Post about this serious problem.
MACW is a Mbombela-based, non-profit organisation that aims to prevent poaching by finding and removing snares and rescuing caught animals. It has been active for the past three years and covers a few areas along the R40 and N4, as well as nearby Lowveld towns.
Klopper says snares pose a great danger to free-roaming wildlife as well as unfortunate domestic animals. He has lost count of all the traps he has removed and has been bitten more times that he can remember, but remains passionate about his fight against poaching and preventing the cruel practise of catching animals with snares.
Poachers mostly construct these traps from branches and sticks combined with electrical cable or thick fence wire, which can cause serious injury to unwary animals.
To illustrate how big the problem is, Klopper explains that he found 131 on a property in one morning and recently located 80 on a hill of ½ ha.
An entry on the MACW website from September 5 reads, “We have done a search and rescue on the R40. We found 23 snares and one animal caught in a snare. We have done groundwork on six properties on the R40 and lifted more than 500 snares (2015). Shocking.”
MACW also works with the local SPCA branches and the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Association (MTPA) to ensure the right channels are followed to help animals and arrest poachers.
Klopper is currently operating through fees paid by regular clients and supporters but hopes that the last of the organisation’s paperwork will soon be sorted out, enabling him to receive funding from supporters to expand the services and reach.
Besides being in need of funds for the day-to-day operations, he also hopes for enough funds to get a vehicle that will handle being off-road better than his current little car and to get essential equipment like a GPS, first-aid kits and sturdy gloves.
Klopper says he also occasionally undertakes the search and rescue of pets if he’s familiar with the area. He has an 85 per cent success rate but says that every situation is unique.
He recommends that people who come across snares or animals caught in them, call in professionals to deal with the situation.
“These animals are scared, hurt and hungry and they can really hurt you. Every animal reacts differently and each situation is unique, so there’s no sure-fire way to handle it. If you feel you really need to help, wear long, thick leather gloves, to avoid their teeth or claws drawing blood.”
People interested in learning more about MACW or making a donation can visit the website, www.macw.co.za, YouTube channel with a variety of videos, Facebook page with regular updates or view photos on Pinterest.
