A few weeks ago, we took a drive to Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Pretoria. Although we’ve never seen large numbers of mammals in this small reserve, we’ve generally seen enough to keep us happy.
Over the past few months, however, we’ve visited twice and have been very disappointed—and increasingly concerned—about the lack of mammals at Roodeplaat.
On a winter’s day drive, we saw one duiker bouncing away hurriedly through the grass and a group of banded mongooses that couldn’t decide which side of the road they wanted to be on.
Our next visit was three weeks ago. We drove for about two hours before we finally saw a kudu bull and a couple of impalas. The kudu was limping slightly on its back right leg. Later, we saw another kudu bull and a single female waterbuck.
We always enjoy a drive through a reserve, and as normal, we were specifically hoping to photograph zebras—but there were none to be seen. What has happened to them? And where were the rest of the herds of impala, kudu, and waterbuck?
A quick search on Google reveals several articles about poaching at Roodeplaat Dam, targeting both fish and mammals. It seems that the setting of snares by subsistence poachers is a common occurrence, despite the commendable efforts of Rooikat Conservation, who regularly undertake snare‑removal walks.
In 2020, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that four zebras had been found caught in snares at Roodeplaat Dam within just two months, as per their post below.
When I mention that I’m interested in zebra conservation, many people ask—or quietly wonder—why. Aren’t there plenty of them? Yes, there are, but when they start disappearing from a reserve, it becomes a cause for concern. Snares are not species‑specific.