Officials Worried As Cruel Illegal Hunting Method Is On The Rise In This South African National Park

South Africa is home to some of the world’s most endangered animals, but it has a rampant and growing poaching problem that has devastated local wildlife communities. Still, the country’s efforts in combating poaching take a multi-angle approach. It strengthened law enforcement, supported local communities, utilized cutting-edge tracking technology, and reduced the demand for poached goods, focusing on protecting rhinos and elephants.

However, with increased efforts to stop poaching, new, innovative, and very shameful practices are being discovered to combat the growing resistance to their actions. Poachers have invested considerable effort in seeking new methods to capture these animals, safeguard their vital parts for trade purposes, and evade detection.

Until recently, criminals had been increasing the number of animals killed in their poaching methods, confusing local law enforcement until their new (old) method was discovered. This particular method of illegal hunting in one of South Africa’s most important national parks is sadly on the rise, and officials are concerned.

Snares are an illegal method of trapping animals by single metal wire strands that catch the animal’s paw, leg, or even neck. As the species is trapped, they die from starvation, dehydration, or by poachers, who arrive to kill the defenseless animal.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, February 19th, 2025, SANParks spokesperson Ike Phaahla says there have recently been two incidents where animals were killed by snares in Kruger National Park (KNP).

This cruel method is excruciating and nearly guarantees the animal will not survive. The practice was banned in South Africa as late as 1974, just like the United States that prohibited it in 1966. Judges today in the U.S. are also ruling on other controversial animal kills, such as bears.

But in South Africa, despite laws in place against this type of hunting, snaring still occurs. That said, it is an unpopular wildlife poaching practice and has made many local groups go up in arms.

Dr. Ian Player is one of the world’s strongest conservationists and environmental statesmen. His work dates back to Operation Rhino in the 1950s, when he aimed to bring poaching under control and successfully saved the white rhino from extinction, which has long been one of the world’s rarest animals on the brink of extinction.

The 1970s and 80s saw a surge in demand for rhino horn and ivory, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, driven by the belief in their medicinal properties and the desire for collections.

This caused a decline in species numbers, including the black rhino, between the 1970s and 1992. Some estimates suggest that over 95% of the black rhinos were poached during this time. The world knew it had to react, and in 1989, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banned the ivory trade worldwide.

Today, South Africa’s crackdown on poaching has saved several species. It is estimated that fewer than 500 rhinos were killed in poaching incidents in 2023, which is up from the previous year by 51.

Sometimes, other human actions cause death, like the recent tragic story of elephants being killed after a train derailed in Sri Lanka, but of course, poaching is not an accident. South Africa has merit in its dedicated anti-poaching units committed to protecting its species and eliminating snare poaching.

Anti-poaching efforts are led by organizations such as the Black Mambas and the Akashinga Rangers, while others, including the SANParks Honorary Rangers and the African Community & Conservation Foundation, also act for wildlife protection.

The aging generation of rhinos is also replacing the poaching deaths. Many of them work hard to reach old age, like Dolly the Rhino, who recently passed away.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) has declared that it will focus on action rather than talking to address South Africa’s snaring crisis at the inaugural Snare Mitigation Symposium.

The South African government is involved in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Law Enforcement and Anti-Poaching (LEAP) Strategy (2022-2032) to fortify law enforcement ability and foster local support.

The South African government plans to increase wildlife conservation and enforcement resources, particularly in border management areas, and mitigate corruption risks at ports and along the border.

The installation of Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) helps mitigate risk, and the installation of cameras, gate cameras, and radar detection systems remotely tracks illegal entry into protected areas.

The continued implementation of the KNP Ranger Services Integrity Management Plan assesses the drivers and dynamics of corruption and addresses them with a comprehensive set of actions.

The government focuses on extensive reach in whom they hire within the agencies, establishing a cohort of young wildlife professionals to shadow SAoSA members—a second set of eyes on everything that happens.

Sometimes, The Best Defense Is A Good Offense

To protect wildlife and reduce snaring, officials have taken steps to protect individual animals

An ongoing dehorning program, focusing on dehorning all rhinos in core areas, is also a key strategy to deter poachers. Injecting radioactive material into rhino horns to make it easier to track and intercept illegal trade at border posts is being considered.

Ultimately, snaring is an extremely harmful trapping method that every country should strive to eliminate. With enough hard work, officials can hopefully bring an end to all the evil poaching practices in Kruger National Park and the rest of the world.

Given that conservation efforts have proven to work and even brought some endangered species back from the brink of extinction, it goes to show that consistency and enforcement are key in the fight to save our planet’s precious wildlife.