The pillaging of wildlife has become rife over the past few months with over 650 snares snagged from reserves and wildlife estates in the Lowveld of Mpumalanga this year so far.

According to South African Bush Warrior Association’s (Saba) Jaco Klopper, the situation will only get worse going forward.  However, it appears that it is not only free-roaming and protected wildlife getting caught in snares, but people’s beloved pets as well.  Klopper said he had been called out on at least seven occasions to Mbombela in the past month to help free dogs that had been caught and injured. “We were also called out for a dog in Kaapsehoop and two out in Sabie,” he said.

Klopper said the number of snares being set up has increased by at least 20% from last season and suspects that the weakened economy is playing a roll in the destruction of local wildlife.  “We are seeing a lot of snares being set up in local reserves and wildlife estates. It seems that there are snares wherever wildlife may possibly live throughout the Lowveld,” said Klopper.

The animals most commonly caught in snares are duiker, impalas, bushbuck and servals.  “We have, however, found kudus, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, jackals, porcupines and even a tortoise caught in snares. No animal is safe.”  Klopper said he himself had been caught in a snare while recently searching for the metal torture devices in some bush.

Meanwhile, the Kruger National Park (KNP) has also seen a massive increase in snares.  The KNP’s Ike Phaahla said the park picks up around 200 snares a week and that snare incidents have increased around 50%.  He said a snare trap any animal that walks through it and hundreds have had to be rescued as a result.