Poaching on the Kruger Boundary

Extract

In 1938, when I took over the Sibasa reserve on the borders of the Kruger National Park, I found that professional native poachers had established their kraals and lands all along and just outside its boundary. There were miles of cultivated lands, all with massive bush fences. In these, gaps were left at intervals of five to twenty yards, and in every gap was placed a steel wire snare. During the night when all was quiet the animals would leave the park to raid the native lands. Sometimes the poachers' catch would be so great that the snared animals could not be dealt with before the vulture and hyaenas had completely devoured the carcases. The wanton waste was terrific.