Anti-poaching & de-snaring
Protect Wildlife
The main reason for the decline of species worldwide is the loss of habitat. Poaching also has a huge impact.
“To rehabilitate forest and provide a sanctuary for wildlife was a tiny gesture, but a huge undertaking – to at least do something, however small it may be.”Janet Cuthbertson
Pictured: snares we have retrieved
Our challenge
Preventing poaching
One of our most daunting tasks is protecting the wildlife in and around our reserve from poaching. This cruel and illegal activity is a constant threat: syndicates are moving south from the northern parts of Southern Africa, and local bush meat has always been seen as a free commodity. The bush meat trade is one of the main reasons so little wildlife remains outside formally protected reserves and sanctuaries.
Because we provide a flourishing habitat for an abundance of wildlife, including rare and protected species, we have taken these measures:
- Security fencing
- Night watchmen
- Scouting patrols to find snares
- Regular hikes & checks by Janet and her team
We also reach out to local communities, encouraging them to take ownership of protecting the natural heritage of the surrounding area.
Support our Wildlife Scouts & Guards
We urgently need support to strengthen our Anti-Poaching Unit (APU). Your help will ensure future poaching is prevented. These are some of the areas where support is needed:
- Camera trapsTo alert us to poachers in high-risk areas
- WagesFor our game guards and night watchmen
- UniformsTwo sets each of overalls, jackets, boots, hats and night torches
- RadiosSo our team can stay in contact on patrol
- WatchesTo track the game guards’ patrols
- FencingUpgrading our security fencing
- A droneTo observe the reserve from above
- Vet emergenciesDarting snared animals so snares can be removed
April 2018
We can never relax our guard
Last known poaching: March – April 2018. We cannot relax our guard at any time.
In April 2018, while checking the sanctuary, we noticed some of our wildebeest were missing. We found our territorial bull with a snare around his neck, and feared the worst for the rest of the herd.
Soon we found the signs. Four of our beautiful wildebeest females had been snared, killed and taken off the property. One of the calves, a special little girl who had been an orphan, was among them. Like every poaching event, it was traumatic and heartbreaking.
A few weeks later the poachers returned – but this time our night watchman picked up their trail, and we removed about 30 snares they had set.
Understanding the threat
How snaring works
- A poacher identifies a game trail that animals use regularly.
- Branches are placed to funnel animals down the familiar pathway, and gaps are closed off so they can’t leave it.
- Wire nooses that are hard for animals to see are hung from trees and bushes.
- Animals are caught by the neck or legs and suffer a slow, painful death. Only the lucky ones break free.
If a snared animal breaks free or is found alive, we must bring a vet to the sanctuary to dart and immobilise it so the snare can be removed. This cost is met by our emergency medical fund.
Help us keep the snares out
Every patrol, camera trap and vet call-out protects the rare wildlife of the sand forest. Please support our anti-poaching work.