Environmental group, Snare Aware, have finally reaped the rewards from newly installed camera traps and deterrence objects to alert the team to poachers in real-time.
Strategically placed in hotspots, known for plastic snares that trap small and medium game, the cameras captured several poachers who were placing traps before fleeing the site. “The poaching syndicate made their way to their normal starting point to start setting their snares but found a surprise greeting them; a cursed, ensnared doll hanging from a tree. Judging by the skid-marks present near this doll, it seemed to do the trick,” the group said. The site in question, on the South Coast, had seen a removal of 410 snares from the seven hectare piece of land just two months prior. “We knew it was the same group since they visited the exact GPS spots we had marked and removed snares from before. Although the authorities were alerted they could not find the syndicate.” The team say that by monitoring areas this way they can determine the extent of poaching but also utilise their own time as volunteers more accordingly. If you would like to donate resources towards the Snare Aware initiative visit their Facebook page to make contact.
