joining forces to protect leopards and other wildlife in South Africa

Snare hunting is one of the cruelest methods used by poachers to trap wildlife and it threatens leopards and many other species in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

That’s why IFAW has partnered with the Cape Leopard Trust, a predator conservation group that uses research as a tool for conservation and finds solutions to human-wildlife conflict.

Leopards are the apex predator in the mountainous province. They roam freely across exceptionally large territories making it hard to know their exact numbers. Their secretive nature and mostly nocturnal habits add to the challenge. What is clear is that every day they and others species are traversing a “mine-field” of snares set by indiscriminate and criminal elements. Poachers mostly use snares to trap wildlife like small antelope and porcupines to support their own nutritional needs—those same animals are also primary food prey for leopards and other wildcat species, like caracals.

“Our first goal is to support the Cape Leopard Trust to rapidly respond to help snared wildlife by providing them with a dedicated vehicle,” says Neil Greenwood, IFAW’s Program Director, Wildlife Rescue

“Trained teams find and destroy snares and educate landowners to effectively patrol for snares. Together with the Cape Leopard Trust our efforts save lives by enabling a swift response to rescue, treat and release wildlife caught in snares. We’ll also be working with local communities to find long-term solutions to reduce reliance on illegal hunting for food or profit.”