Snare removal is a highly effective and cost-efficient strategy for protecting biodiversity, particularly in areas where poaching poses a significant threat to wildlife. Snares, often set to capture large animals, indiscriminately trap a wide range of species, including vulnerable shorebirds and critically endangered animals whose populations cannot sustain even small losses. These traps can lead to severe injuries, slow deaths, or permanent disability, impacting species’ survival and reproduction rates. By removing snares, conservationists not only reduce direct mortality but also prevent the cascading effects of population decline on ecosystems. This hands-on intervention is relatively inexpensive compared to other conservation methods, making it accessible to more organizations and communities. Its immediate impact on saving individual animals makes it an essential tool in the fight against biodiversity loss.
Snare removal in the mangroves of Cambodia. Photo: Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise
Snare Removal in Cambodia’s Mangroves
Snares pose a significant threat to the vulnerable fishing cat in Cambodia’s mangroves, often leading to injury or death for these elusive predators. Frequently targeted by poachers for their fur and body parts or caught in traps intended for other animals, fishing cats face increasing pressures in their shrinking habitats. Our partners at Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise are tackling this challenge head-on through a series of anti-poaching activities, with snare removal as a key focus. This impactful intervention not only reduces direct threats to fishing cats but also helps protect the broader biodiversity of these vital mangrove ecosystems.
Protecting Spoon-Billed Sandpipers Through Snare Removal
Snare removal in the wintering grounds of the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper is a vital conservation effort to protect this species from further decline. Bird snaring is a common practice in these areas, posing a significant threat to the sandpipers as they are frequently targeted or caught in these traps. Given their already dwindling population, the loss of even a few individuals has a significant impact on their survival. By systematically removing snares in these areas, conservationists reduce mortality rates and create safer habitats, offering a lifeline to this unique species and improving its chances of recovery.
