As the weather warms and more time is spent outdoors this summer, an anti-snare project is asking the public to be on the lookout for snares in the undergrowth, particularly along fence lines.
Launched in August, Snare Free is a collaboration between the Cape Leopard Trust, CapeNature, Kogelberg Biosphere, Wildlife Forensic Academy and the Cape of Good Hope SPCA (“Move to protect wildlife from snares,” Bulletin, August 10).
The initiative includes a snare-response plan, a reporting hotline and a support vehicle. It aims to streamline reporting and improve training and data collection, alongside a social science research project working with communities to better understand the drivers and potential solutions to snaring.
Since the launch, the Cape Leopard Trust has led nine presentations, workshops and training sessions, according to its spokeswoman, Jeannie Hayward.
CapeNature had also run a snare-awareness drive and led snare-removal patrols in communities along the West Coast, she said.
“One workshop that is a particularly poignant example of the worth of Snare Free is the recent half-day session held for landowners in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley,” said Ms Hayward. “On the day of a caracal rescue in September, a resident from the area who had heard about the incident via their community WhatsApp group requested snare-awareness training for the area. Within one day, members of the community came together to organise a date and sponsored venue and shared the invitation via their networks.
“This snare-aware workshop was held on 23 October to provide landowners, managers and residents with information and practical skills to deal with snaring. It was attended by people from the valley and nearby towns, as well as some from as far out as Cape Town and Paarl. The workshop was well received, and already attendees have been recording snares on the CLT app. This is exactly the kind of proactive and positive action encouraged by Snare Free,” Ms Hayward said.
If you discover a live wild animal caught in a snare in the Western Cape, call the Snare Free hotline for assistance on 076 127 8485. Keep your distance from the animal, keep noise to a minimum and advise other people to refrain from entering the area. Have the following information available for the hotline operator:
• Location (GPS coordinates/pin preferable)
• Animal species/description (if known)
• Your contact number
If you discover empty snares or a dead animal caught in a snare, take a photo and report it to the Cape Leopard Trust’s online data portal (app.capeleopard.org.za). You will need to provide the location and a photograph. Carefully remove and dispose of the snare/s to ensure it cannot be used again. Visit snarefree.co.za for more information.
