A volunteer organisation operating in KwaZulu-Natal is hot on the heels of a poacher named ‘Lucky’…
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (17 September 2026) – In July, the attention of KwaZulu-Natal’s anti-poaching volunteer heroes turned toward the Tongaat River Valley.
Snare Aware had been alerted to cases of domestic dogs being caught in snares set within the valley. A poacher had clearly been at work.
The small volunteer NPO travels the length and breadth of KwaZulu-Natal, removing snares from greenbelts, conservation areas and Game Reserves. This is a service that volunteers do totally free of charge.
Thankfully, the group were able to free the dogs and four snares were removed in an initial sweep. A camera trap was installed.
Then, it happened again. A few days later, the poacher was spotted moving through the area. A further 11 snares were found. By then, Snare Aware was well onto his trail.
“New snares linked to him are being discovered every single week, making him one of the most active poachers we are tracking right now.” the group shared, in the beginning of September. “His primary target appears to be bushpig, based on the areas he is targeting and snare material being used, but the devastation caused by his snares extends far beyond that.”
Bushbuck, mongoose, and domestic dogs had all been caught in snares set by ‘Lucky’, as Snare Aware has named him. The organisation was hot on his heels, and had soon mapped out his strategy.
“After many kilometres and countless hours of careful tracking and observation, we identified Lucky’s entry and exit points, and the route he used through the bush while checking his snares. This massive effort, together with the camera trap data showed us his exact MO down to the day and time to expect him. The tracking helped us know exactly where he went – a pattern emerged.”
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The information was shared with Dolphin Coast Anti-Poaching Forum, and a plan was devised to intercept the poacher upon his next visit.
“This intel was shared with Dolphin Coast Anti-Poaching Forum DCAPF, who operationalised the information. An operation was set up based on Lucky’s routine. As ‘luck’ would have it, on the weekend of the planned operation, Lucky changed his routine – coming in a day earlier than expected. Despite this, DCAPF still managed to respond – albeit reactively and not as proactively as we had planned. Despite this, Lucky was apprehended as he was exiting the bush, exactly where we had predicted him to be. He was in possession of a panga (bush knife/machete) and a backpack full of 15 snares.”
This is when he got ‘Lucky’…
“Because the response had to be made at short notice, only one member was in position in time to intercept him. While waiting for backup, Lucky managed to escape and slip back into the thick bush. Many people reading this may wonder how that could happen. The reality is that anti-poaching work and arrests in dense vegetation are extremely difficult. In that terrain, two steps to the left or right can be enough for someone to disappear. And these poachers are seasoned bushpeople. With the member alone on scene, no chase was attempted — pursuing a poacher alone into thick bush is simply too dangerous.”
Even though Lucky had gotten away, the mission still gave the group valuable insight into his movements, and it sent a clear message that eyes were on him and his activities would not be tolerated.
“Until that moment, he had no idea how closely he was being monitored, or how much we already knew about him. This is the true value of intelligence.”
Lucky has since not returned to the valley. Instead, he has resurfaced in other areas in Ballito’s surrounds, Snare Aware shares.
His movements have been traced all the way back to 2023, when he was caught on a camera trap, navigating a snare hotspot where he is currently operating.
“The most astonishing part of this story? We have a camera trap photo of ‘Lucky’ from 2023, from another snare hotspot near to where he is currently operating. This all but confirms that Lucky is a large scale commercial poacher and has been for a long period of time.”
Snare Aware is keeping close tabs on the poacher and it has set out a call to the public for assistance. Camera trap images of Lucky have been released, and a reward of R2000 has been set for any information that could lead to finding him.
“If you have any information that could assist, no matter how small, please contact us.” the group shared. “All information will be treated confidentially. If anyone wants to contribute towards our informers fund, please see the bank details in the last picture of this post.”
Snare Aware does incredible work in KZN. Last year alone, the group removed over 650 snares in 133 sweeps conducted across 2681 kilometres in the province. Since its inception six years ago, the volunteer group has removed over 3000 snares.
“This is why community reports matter. One alert about dogs caught in snares helped expose a much larger poaching operation. If you see snares, suspicious activity, or signs of wildlife being targeted, please report it immediately. Every tip helps us build the intelligence needed to stop commercial poachers before more animals are harmed.”
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