Informal camps, snail shells, dumped meat found during walk

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A total of 38 volunteers braved the scorching sun on Saturday, 5 October, to take part in the anti-snare walk held by the Dana Bay Conservancy in conjunction with the Wildlife Crime Information Network (WCIN).

The volunteers followed various trails in the protected area next to the Paradise Coast Beach and Eco Estate, off Flora Road.

Although no snares or traps were found on the four-hour walk, which is a victory for the conservancy, the group did find a few other concerning things.

WCIN's Leon Rossouw said the walk was multipurpose: not just about finding snares, but finding recent evidence of possible poaching of fauna and flora.

"We did find fresh dog tracks, which means dog poaching could be a problem in the area." The group also came across thousands of emptied snail shells and several discarded bags with what looked, and smelled, to be some kind of meat and a few abandoned informal camps, littered with trash, and one camp still occupied by people.

Thousands of discarded snail shells were found in bushes along one of the trails. Photos: Chelsea Pieterse

He said photos and the locations of the camps would be shared with the Mossel Bay Municipality. Rossouw said the same area was covered before the anti-snare walk two weeks prior and evidence of plant poaching was found, as well as the remains of a caracal.

"Poaching is a nationwide epidemic, affecting all types of conservation areas, from unprotected greenbelts to conservancies and game farms. By having more boots on the ground we will have fewer poachers in the bush," he said.

He added that not finding any snares, was a finding in itself, and meant the future walks could be concentrated in other areas of Dana Bay. Dana Bay Conservancy chairperson Erika van der Westhuizen thanked all the volunteers.

Troy Hughes and Penny Carolus.

She said the conservancy wanted to continue these walks because it gave the group a better idea of what was happening in Dana Bay's environment and what action needed to be taken.

Rossouw said combatting wildlife crimes required action from everyone, not just conservationists, and urged the public to report any instances of wildlife crime. WCIN has established a hotline. WhatsApp or call WCIN (079 643 9556) or email report@wcin.org.za. Information given will be treated as confidential.

Bags of what looked to be meat were found dumped in bushes.
A parrot-beaked tortoise was spotted during the walk.
Jonathan Swart, Dawie Steenkamp and Leon Leon Rossouw.
Yulandi Holtzhausen and Pieter Bekker pick up some litter during the walk.
Eric Potgieter, Dawn Squires and Tyrone Sanderson.