Suffering ends for ensnared giraffe at KZN’s Bisley reserve

A young female giraffe that had been suffering for weeks with a snare embedded deep in her leg has been humanely euthanised at Bisley Nature Reserve, reports The Witness.

The operation was carried out this morning (April 18) by conservation teams, following days of searching and a co-ordinated effort to secure aerial support.

Friends of Bisley Nature Reserve (FoBNR) chairperson Peter West confirmed the development.

“The suffering is over for our young female giraffe,” said West.

He said wildlife veterinarian Dr Ryan van Deventer rearranged his schedule to assist with the urgent operation and that the teams were in position at 07:00.

“The helicopter arrived just after 08:30 and, with expert manoeuvring, the dart was fired,” he said.

The giraffe was located earlier by Dr Adrian Nel who was positioned in a tree near the R56, while ground teams and Remington Risk Management patrollers tracked her movements.

After the animal was darted and went down, the helicopter landed briefly to allow Van Deventer to confirm her condition and remove the dart.

West said dense bush in the area made it impossible to retrieve the carcass.

“The carcass is unfortunately in extremely dense and inaccessible bush, so we are unable to donate it to the lion park, which we normally do, if possible,” he said.

It will be left for our minor carnivores and natural decomposition to take care of.

Delays before final operation

The euthanasia had initially been planned for yesterday but was delayed after the helicopter was grounded due to mechanical concerns and later unfavourable weather conditions.

The team regrouped and arranged for an early morning operation today once conditions improved.

Community support praised

West thanked members of the public for their support after an urgent appeal for funding earlier in the week.

“To all who have made our efforts possible, once again, a huge thank you. This is not a pleasant aspect of our volunteer work but always a reality,” he said.

He also acknowledged public reaction to the decision to euthanise the animal.

“I’m told that there were some negative comments about this event on Facebook, which I have not seen. To those who made them, I fully understand your anger at the suffering of an innocent and beautiful creature at the hands of man,” he said.

We, FoBNR, too, are angry and do whatever we can to combat these practices.

Weeks of suffering

The giraffe was first spotted on April 7, limping along a reserve road with a snare tightly embedded above her hoof.

Despite repeated attempts to locate and treat the animal, it remained elusive as the injury worsened.

Veterinary assessment earlier this week confirmed the wound had become severely infected and necrotic, leaving euthanasia as the only humane option.

With ground efforts failing, a helicopter was secured with assistance from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and African Wildlife Vets, allowing the team to finally locate and put the animal down.

West said the experience underscored both the challenges and realities of conservation work.

“Our silent motto is: ‘We do what we can, with what we have… to the best of our ability,’” he said.

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