On the Lumo Community Sanctuary Maktau boundary, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's Ziwani Desnaring team was called for an emergency rescue of a snared Eland that had become entangled in the security fence. What complicated the operation all the more was the fact that the Eland had allot of movement despite the tight wire around the neck.

In an effort to rescue itself from the snare the animal had struggled causing the branch with the snare attached to break. The Eland then jumped over the electric fence while still dragging the broken log attached to the snare which was still wrapped taught around the animal’s neck. The log had become entangled in the electric fence and the dsnaring team had to figure out very quickly what to do with the live fence and an aggressive Eland as the animal was fast choking to death. They were able to wrestle the animal to the ground, all the while holding the horns, remove the snare and then watch with enormous satisfaction as it leapt to its feet and galloped away free.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates six desnaring anti- poaching teams covering some of the sensitive boundaries of Tsavo East and West National Park. To read more about our Anti- poaching desnaring work please click on this link: