Collaboration key to addressing illegal snaring of wildlife

Collaboration and partnerships are key in addressing the negative impacts from the illegal snaring of wildlife. This was among the takeaways from the inaugural two-day national Snare Mitigation Symposium in Pretoria, which was attended by leading experts in wildlife crime, government officials and representatives of numerous stakeholders across the sector to examine the multi-faceted aspects of the snaring crisis. The meeting of 140 delegates delved into the impacts, drivers and solutions to this increasing threat to wildlife and the economy. This is according to a joint statement issued on Monday by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT), the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and South African National Parks (SANParks). The statements said snaring is motivated by complex socio-economic and cultural drivers. The symposium explored snaring from a myriad of angles and viewpoints. 'Information gained through the symposium highlighted that animals are snared largely for personal or commercial use and is occurring at unsustainable rates across all provinces and in diverse landscapes. 'Sadly, many species including leopard, lion, hyena and other predators are killed as by-catch in snares originally set for bushmeat,' said the statement. A key takeaway from the symposium is that there is a need for less 'fortress' mentality and more community and sustainable use interaction among stakeholders towards achieving positive outcomes for this threat to wildlife. 'Communities living with wildlife, and those linked to snaring, need to form an integral part of the solutions being proposed, and to be undertaken, to address snaring. 'No solution will be credible without the involvement of the relevant community voices in co-development of solutions. Solutions need to be diverse, purposely inclusive and tailored to, and by, the people living in the affected areas. Technological advances were showcased at the s ymposium to improve snare detection and data collection,' the statement said on Monday. Among the key decisions adopted as outcomes of the symposium included further research on the drivers and alternative livelihood solutions, more cohesive legislation to address snaring and other wildlife crimes, more centralised reporting and monitoring to ascertain the extent of the problem and creating a greater understanding of the impact of snaring not only on biodiversity, but also on the economy and well-being of communities. 'Looking to the future, greater teamwork and communication between State, private sector and civil society will be cultivated to find sustainable long-term solutions for both people and wildlife,' the statement said. Source: South African Government News Agency