Over 700 animal snares found in shocking discovery on KZN North Coast
The verdant regions of the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast are facing a significant surge in illegal snare hunting.
An increase in illegal snares on Durban’s North Coast has caused severe harm to local wildlife.
In 2024, a staggering 708 snares were discovered between Umdloti and Sheffield Beach. This marks a 78% increase compared to the previous year, writes the North Coast Courier.
The scale of the crisis was highlighted recently when volunteers removed over 150 snares from the Umdloti coastal forest. Among the grim discoveries were the remains of a baby duiker, two monkeys, and a trapped dog.
Animals endure slow, painful deaths
The team, working with the volunteer-run NPO Snare Aware, expressed outrage at what they see as mere cruelty and wastefulness.
“I don’t subscribe to the notion that those responsible hunt for food because they are poor and hungry,” said a volunteer.
“This is the second haul in a week in the same area, and we have found rotting bushbuck and duikers that have not been butchered for meat.”
The volunteers said that the situation is always the same when they remove snares, and feel like hunters have stopped caring.
“They cannot be that hungry if they don’t check these traps regularly.”
“They just leave the bodies to rot.”
Earlier this month Snare Aware cleared 86 traps from the Umdloti conservancy, only days after discovering 117 snares in the same vicinity.
During these operations, they found carcasses of blue duikers, monkeys, a bushbuck, and a dog.
Snare Aware have asked the public for donations to help fund their sweeps. Concerned citizens can also contact the NPO for help removing snares via details on their Facebook page.