While on the outlook for the perfect track for the Giants Adventure Rally, it is compulsory to receive permission from every farmer of the farm the route crosses. While we were gladly accepted, the gruesome stories about animal poaching in the Tuli Block area started raising some serious concern.
The poaching of wild animals seems to be done using snares that are hidden between trees or using the aid of dogs during the night. There has also been a spotting of an Eland being chased down with dogs, and then killing it with rocks. When the perpetrator is spotted or realizes a road is closed off, the animal is just left to rot.
Anything that’s got meat on them and in the path of where snares are placed or sniffed out by dogs are their next kill. Poaching has evolved rapidly for the bush meat market. A common snare used in the Tuli is the circular wire snare that is hung from trees, these not only trap, but strangle the animal.
When an animal gets caught in this wire snare, they try to free themselves by bucking and kicking, which causes the snare to tighten and tighten, and the animal eventually dies. There have been many incidents where the animal obviously suffered a slow death, this is very inhumane.
Even though some patrols have been successful in tracking down snares and removing them, before it takes another life, there are still A LOT OF wire snares that are well hidden and not found during patrols.
In AllAfrica Global Media, Portia Rapitsenyane shared an interview with Mr Motlhanka Gami, a Senior wildlife ranger in the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. In this interview, Mr Gami said that he condemned poaching in the Tuli Block area, and that some of the villagers had made it their livelihood. Mr Gami also appealed to the residents of the concerned villages to desist them from poaching.
Some farm owners have reported to Mr Kgosi Obert Thutlwa of Mokobeng about some of the residents who engage in this unlawful activity. So, the task of catching the perpetrators is extremely tedious, as the villagers choose to suppress the
The Wildlife And It’s
Habitat Cannot Speak,
So We Must And We Will…
-Theodore Roosevelt
truth, even though they know the culprits, as they sell game meat secretly to the villagers.
Kgotla meetings are usually organized by the village leader to try and sensitize residents on the dangers of poaching and the importance of the wild animals to the tourism sector, to hopefully curb the problem as Botswana’s economy takes the hit.
Botswana has a global reputation for zero tolerance of poaching and wildlife crimes, so residence are begged to discontinue poaching as Is can land someone in jail for a very long time.
‘Wild at Tuli’, is a volunteer project program that have many roles, and one important one including conducting anti-poaching patrols with the aim of removing snares.
Poaching is intolerable and we want to help spread the awareness of ‘Stop Poaching the Tuli’, please share this article with family and friends by clicking the FACEBOOK or WHATSAPP buttons on the left. Standing in larger numbers is one way to put an end to the unnecessary suffering of these unfortunate animals.
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