An adult Waterbuck bull Bwas spotted at Swadini Forever Resorts for a severe snare wound around his head. By the time we reached him he was in poor condition. The veterinary team from Wildscapes immobilised him in the field, cleaned and treated the wound. The wire had cut deep. One eye was damaged, and he had been unable to eat or drink properly for some time. Even though he has lost one eye, he should bounce back and make a recovery.

This is what snares actually do. A wire loop set for something small will hold a waterbuck, a hyena or a leopard just as easily, and it does not kill quickly. It tightens, it cuts, and it waits. Every snare we remove is one animal that does not die slowly in the bush.

Thank you to African Wildlife Vets, D2W and Scales Conservation Fund for backing this work with us, and to everyone who makes it possible for us to answer the call.