The Kruger National Park (KNP) is facing a growing threat from snaring, with park officials and conservationists warning that the practice is putting the lives of thousands of animals at risk.
According to Kally Ubisi, sectional ranger for Skukuza, snaring has become a significant problem in the park, particularly during dry times when water is scarce.
“The snaring in the park has become a problem, especially in dry times because the water is shallow and poachers can cross the river to come into the nearby villages,” Ubisi said.
He explained that some communities living near the park are forced to enter it to access water, and some individuals take advantage of this to set up snares.
“We have villages that are nearby where some of the communities come into the park to get water in the rivers, but when the water is shallow, some cross to the other side to set up snares because they see the animals coming to the river to have a drink,” Ubisi said.
The impact of snaring on the park’s wildlife is devastating, with thousands of animals falling victim to the practice every year.
Roland Mastnak, a Kruger National Park honorary ranger, has been working tirelessly to remove snares from the park.
“If we have in the last couple of years have taken roughly 5 000 snares, we have saved 5 000 animals from dying, and that gives you a sense of achievement because you would have made a bit of a difference,” Mastnak said.
Mastnak warned that if the trend of snaring continues, it could have disastrous consequences for the park’s tourism industry.
“It’s a passion we have. It’s either you have a passion for it or you don’t... I just feel that I can try to put something back into wildlife and try to maintain what we get or what we got for future generations because if we carry on with this poaching, it’s not going to last forever,” Mastnak said.
Ubisi emphasised that the park’s management is working hard to address the issue of snaring, but it requires the support of local communities and conservationists.
“We as a nature conservation entity address this and also engage the people in the conservation or socio-economic transformation unit which we have in the park to constantly teach our people that these animals need to be saved and protected,” Ubisi said.
The Kruger National Park’s management has urged visitors and local communities to report any incidents of snaring or poaching to the authorities, and to support conservation efforts aimed at protecting the park’s precious wildlife.