Snare Aware treks out to the North Coast
Snare Aware delivered an insightful presentation to locals in Zinkwazi before searching for and removing concealed snares in the area.
VENTURING out of their Amanzimtoti stomping grounds, Snare Aware, a non-profit organisation focused on removing illegal snares and combating poaching, travelled back after just over a year to Zinkwazi for an educational presentation and snare sweep after being contacted by a concerned local.
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One of the organisation’s members, whose identity will remain anonymous for their safety, said that a fairly high turnout of volunteers meant that three areas of concern could be covered efficiently.
“It was nice to see some of the same faces joining us again. The previous hot-spot was surprisingly ‘all clear’, with no new snares found. The other two groups swept the forest closer to the town, checking areas where snares have recently been found. As is often the case, it was a bit slow going to start with, with only two older snares found, but things picked up later in the sweep. Some of the locals were surprised at just how difficult some of these wire snares can be to see, even when pointed out to them, on the tiny dark game path,” said the member.
Time was running out and the teams began heading back to the presentation area, while one member decided to take a shortcut through the bushes where he found a first for the organisation – a fishing-line trip wire set a couple of meters before a waiting snare. Attached to the line was an old can filled with stones placed up in a tree.
“As the poor unsuspecting animal sets off the trip wire, the can falls from the tree, making a noise with the stones, and sends the surprised animal running off straight into the waiting snare. He found three setups like this, and because we can’t leave a job unfinished, straight after the debriefing, four Snare Aware members and two locals went straight back to the hot-spot area to cover more ground. Another six active snares were found totalling 12 for the day, and 50 in total that we have helped to remove from Zinkwazi,” they said.
Snare Aware extends its thanks to those who joined them, especially the local who cared enough to contact them for assistance.
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