Snares – The Silent Killer

Last year (2024) a few members of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) team had the opportunity to visit our incredible Field Partners, Save Vietnam’s Wildlife. During our visit, we witnessed a powerful demonstration by their dedicated rangers – one that left a lasting impression.

In just under one minute, a ranger constructed a fully functioning snare from a simple piece of wire and a small branch. It was shocking how quickly and easily it came together. What looked like an innocuous piece of wire was transformed into a deadly trap in seconds. The speed of the setup and the simplicity of its design underscored just how insidious these devices are. Snares are easy to make, cheap, and require no special tools, yet their impact is catastrophic.

Often set by poachers hoping to catch wild meat for consuming, these snares are indiscriminate in what they trap. Tragically, they frequently ensnare endangered species like pangolins and even tigers, whose populations are already under severe pressure. In Africa, painted dogs, lions, and even elephants fall victim to the same horrid fate. Caught animals suffer horrific injuries as the wire tightens with every struggle, leading to severe lacerations, amputations, or slow and painful deaths.

Snares are a silent killer hiding in plain sight. DSWF continues to provide vital support and funding for ranger-based projects that remove these deadly traps from protected areas. However, the scale of the problem is daunting. A single poacher can lay hundreds, even thousands of snares in a very short time. While it’s impossible to determine the exact number in use, conservative estimates suggest that over 12 million snares are active each year in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam alone.

The demonstration above serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need to continue our fight against the snaring crisis. It reinforces the importance of our work with rangers and anti-poaching teams, who risk their lives daily to protect wildlife from this relentless threat. Snares may be simple, but their consequences are devastating.

Together, through awareness, education, and direct action, we can help ensure that these silent killers no longer have a place in our wild spaces.