Project Report
| Jun 23, 2026
June 2026 Update
![PNHF Team and volunteers after a snare sweep]()
PNHF Team and volunteers after a snare sweep
Dear friends and supporters of PNHF,
It is time for us to share news and report back on what the Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation (PNHF) has achieved over the past couple of months. Below are some of the successes we had since our last progress report in March 2026;
- We've conducted 21 anti-poaching operations.
- Patrolled over 133,19km on foot.
- Removed 158 illegally set poacher's snares and 1 large trap cage.
- Discovered 3 poaching camps.
- Discovered 15 animals illegally killed in snares and poisoned by poachers, these include 3 lions, 1 leopard, 3 eland, 5 impala, 1 giraffe, 2 kudu.
- Taken 157 local community members and international volunteers out on anti-poaching operations.
- Successfully rescued and released over 24 animals. We darted and removed a snare from a large African Elephant bull, the snare was around the animal's ear. We assisted in the relocation of an Elephant Bull back into a reserve after he broke out and ended up walking on a busy road. We released three large Southern African Pythons that were captured and removed during human / wildlife conflict situations. Captured and released a large male Boomslang. We rescued a grey-headed bush-shrike and released it again. We released 16 Banded Mongoose after they were succesfully rehabilitated. We removed a serated hinged terrapin from a large fish trap and released it in the Olifant's River again. We confiscated and released a large number of fish illegally caught by fisherman using nets.
- We arrested a snare poacher that was involved in the poaching of numerous lions in the area.
- We hosted four conservation evenings with guest speakers Dr, Ian Whyte, retired Kruger National Park Ranger, on the Elephant Management Dilemma, attended by 73 persons, Cole Du Plessis from EWT on the Range Expansion Project for African Wild Dog in Africa, attended by 69 persons, Professor Yoshan Moodley from Venda University on Wildlife Genetics in Conservation, attended by 58 persons, Matthew Gie and Jonathan O'Connel from Terrasense on Technology for tracking Wildlife, attended by 58 persons.
- Presented a environmental education workshop to 20 Dutch students.
- Gave a presentation at a rural church for a youth group.
- Built a soft release enclosure for rehabilitated wildlife.
The above mentioned data and statistics gathered during the past four months has contributed to the conservation of our local biodoversity in the nature reserves, parks, tribal game reserves and neighbouring communities where we conducted operations. In some areas we have noticed a decline in snaring even zero snaring in certain properties, this is a big win for us and shows that our efforts are successful.
We would like to thank each and every one of our supporters for making this possible.
Your continued support is greatly appreciated by us and every animal and person benefiting from our efforts.
![Removing a snare from an elephant]()
Removing a snare from an elephant
![Releasing a large Southern African Python]()
Releasing a large Southern African Python
![Giving a presentation at a rural school]()
Giving a presentation at a rural school
![Built a soft release enclosure for wildlife]()
Built a soft release enclosure for wildlife
![Releasing 16 Banded Mongoose]()
Releasing 16 Banded Mongoose
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