Snare Crisis Fund

Since our last report, your generous support has kept our Snare Crisis Fund active even through tough conditions. Severe floods hit Limpopo in January 2026, damaging roads and flooding low-lying areas, which forced us to pause sweeps until the waters subsided and access became safe again. Once the ground dried, our dedicated anti-poaching partners returned to the field. In the following months they walked many kilometres, sweeping fence lines, drainage areas, and known hotspots. The results remain encouraging: several targeted patrols found very low levels of fresh snaring activity, with teams removing only a handful of old or inactive snares. One sweep even uncovered a drum full of brand-new snares (which was destroyed), at a neighbouring compound, strong evidence that our repeated presence is successfully disrupting poachers before they can set more traps.

Wildlife is showing positive signs too. Rangers observed relaxed nyala moving freely in previously disturbed areas, and some patrols recorded zero fresh carcasses. Another detailed sweep around water points and drainage lines found an old skull but no recent human activity or active snares. The teams believe poaching pressure in these zones has calmed, shifted, or gone dormant, exactly the preventive impact we aim for through consistent action.

Just yesterday we received concerning news of three elephants, an adult male and two youngsters, spotted with snares in a local reserve. The search is now underway, and as soon as the animals are located, the Snare Crisis Fund will assist with (along with other organisations) the costs of darting, snare removal, and veterinary treatment. These quiet victories and rapid response readiness are only possible because of you. Thank you for standing with us through every challenge and helping give wildlife a safer future, one patrol and one rescue at a time.

With deep gratitude,

The Snare Crisis Fund Team (Scales Conservation Fund, in partnership with dedicated anti-poaching units and veterinary partners)