South Africa’s biodiversity and natural beauty are drawcards for international tourism, investment, and business. However, a pervasive threat to wildlife and the economy is hunting with illegal snares. Snaring is an indiscriminate, cruel, and unsustainable use of natural resources which triggers devastating repercussions across the ecosystem. In Kruger National Park, 14 000 snares were removed between 2020 and 2022, and in 2023, 415 animals were known to be killed by snares [1]. Outside of protected areas, the situation is equally daunting. In the Boland Mountain Complex of the Western Cape, 671 snares were found and removed during snare patrols conducted on agricultural properties between 2019 and 2020 [2]. The occurrence of snares has increased since the Covid pandemic and there is much that remains unknown about this secretive and often overlooked practice, and its full impact on nature.
A two-day inaugural Snare Mitigation Symposium held at DFFE Environment House on 10 – 11 September 2024 enabled experts to share specialised knowledge on the multifaceted aspects of the snaring crisis with a wide variety of stakeholders working across sectors. Gaining a solid understanding of the problem and building partner relationships provides a necessary foundation prior to developing local or national strategies to address snaring. Presentations and engagements explored themes including: Understanding the dynamics; Human dimensions of snaring; Reporting, responding, evidence collection, snare patrolling, and policy and; Technology and detection solutions. The ultimate aim of the symposium was to share knowledge and build collaborations that will facilitate steps towards resolving the snaring crisis through a holistic and concerted approach.
The symposium was hosted by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), Cape Leopard Trust (CLT), Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and South African National Parks (SANParks).
Sincere thanks go to the symposium sponsors: DFFE, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Ford Wildlife Foundation, Painted Wolf Wines, Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards, Dinokeng Game Reserve, and KaiNav Conservation Foundation.
Please read the official media statement from the Snare Mitigation Symposium HERE.
References
[1] dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-11-12-hit-on-kruger-park-buffaloes-at-least-135-bovids-dead-out-of-415-animals-snared-across-species-in-2023/
[2] sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1617138122001686
