Snare You Later! A Wild Day of Anti-Poaching Volunteering in the North West
If you’ve ever spent your Saturday untangling a wire snare from a thorn bush while side-eyeing a curious wildebeest, you know volunteering in the wilds of South Africa is never boring. That’s exactly what happened when a group of enthusiastic animal lovers from Volunteer Now and Jaru Sport Academy descended on a game park at Camp Wildside in the North West for a special Snare Sweep Saturday — and wow, was it an adventure!
Armed with gloves, wire cutters, buckets of water, and a hefty dose of determination (plus snacks — always snacks), our team of volunteers set out to do something incredibly important: clear snares from the bush before they could do harm to our precious wildlife.
Now, in case you’re wondering — a snare isn’t just a bit of old wire lying in the grass. It’s a crude but deadly trap, often set by poachers to catch animals like antelope for bushmeat or illegal trade. These wire loops are cruel, silent, and devastating, often leading to slow, painful deaths. They’re also illegal and a major threat to South Africa’s wildlife heritage.
Cue our volunteer heroes.
After a short briefing (which included what to do if you meet an angry buffalo — tip: don’t panic, but definitely don’t stay put), the teams split up and fanned out across the park. With trained rangers guiding the way, we scanned the landscape for signs of snares — bent branches, unnatural lines of wire, or disturbed animal tracks.
It didn’t take long. The first snare was found tangled around the base of a tree, hidden in dry grass. Then another, strung low near a well-worn animal path. And another. In total, we removed 42 snares in just one morning. That’s potentially 42 lives saved — from warthogs to wildebeest, maybe even an unlucky giraffe.
Of course, there were plenty of moments to lighten the mood too. One volunteer fell into a bush while trying to heroically point out a bird. Another insisted they’d seen a leopard (it was, in fact, a large rock). And there was much debate over who had found the gnarliest snare — a title proudly awarded to a particularly rusted, six-loop monstrosity.
But beneath the banter, everyone knew how serious this work really was. South Africa’s wildlife faces enormous pressure from poaching, habitat loss, and illegal trade. Every snare removed is a small but vital victory in the bigger battle to protect our animals and the ecosystems they call home.
The day ended with a well-earned lunch in the shade, shared stories, and dusty boots — plus the satisfaction of having made a real difference. Rangers thanked the volunteers, and more than one person asked, “When can we come back?”
So here’s to the power of people, passion, and pliers! The next time you hear the word “snare,” we hope you think not just of danger — but of the incredible humans who are out there undoing harm, one wire at a time.
Interested in joining the next anti-poaching effort? Sign up for a Volunteer Now event — and help us keep South Africa’s wild heart beating strong.