Camouflaged within the fence lines, bushes and trees, round, smooth ‘loops of death’ made out of wires have led to the serious injury, and, sometimes death of hundreds of unsuspecting animals in the wild. An innocent animal grazing or trying to get across a fence to the other side for pasture or water is easily noosed and is, as a result, snared by its neck or foot. As the startled animal attempts to wrestle itself free, the wire snare continues to tighten, and, the helpless animal is either choked to death – if it is noosed by its neck, or is held fast, trapped, exhausted due to hunger, and thirst to the point it finally succumbs to this grasp of death.
Many animals have not been spared of this agonizing snaring death with these traps set by merciless poachers. Even more unnerving, is the fact that when these poachers find the captured animals weak and exhausted, they proceed to kill them either for their meat, skin, or game trophies. Snaring has become one of the most wanton ways of poaching as it is indiscriminate, and kills hundreds of animals at a very cheap cost. Due to poverty, communities bordering national parks and game reserves resort to killing wild animals for bush meat and trophies then selling them in order to earn a living.
In an effort to stop this fast growing practice, ANAW habitually sends out teams on desnaring operations where each team patrols a particular area. During these operations the teams dismantle and remove snares, rescue any trapped animals and attend to any that are injured. Areas which are known to have recorded cases of poaching, and where ANAW has carried out successful de-snaring operations include Kapiti Ranch Estate bordering Nairobi National Park, Taita Ranch bordering the Tsavo East National Park and the Marula and KARI ranches in Naivasha bordering Hell’s Gate National Park.
ANAW operations are not only for saving these animals, but, also to provide a moral and more lucrative sustainable alternative means of livelihood to these communities. Turning swords into ploughshares is the mantra that ANAW goes by as the organization also takes time to train reformist-minded former poachers on how to make wire artefacts from the snares retrieved from the desnaring operations. The poachers become competitive artists who turn deadly dangerous traps into lovely pieces of art and earn a handsome income for a comfortable and meaning successful living.
Take a look at the snare art pieces at the souvenirs section. Buy one of your fancy and become a part of saving the lives of countless of animals from suffering a terrible and agonizing snaring death.
Donate
Africa Network for Animal Welfare is supported entirely by your donations to carry its animal protection work in Africa . Please click on the button below to give a donation and be part of this difference making network.
