Snares Have Become a Major Threat to Wildlife in Southeast Asia

Habitat loss has plagued Southeast Asia's wildlife for decades, but more recently, the wildlife trade's use of snares has become an equally harmful threat, putting 700 species at risk. Many of these are endangered such as tigers, Asian elephants, saolas and bantengs. However, out of all species, tigers are identified as the species most at risk by snaring.

WWF's most recent analysis reveals that approximately 12.3 million snares have been spread across Southeast Asia and remain on the ground today. Many of these can be found in Cambodia and Vietnam, where tigers are believed to be on the brink of extinction. WWF claimed that the snares are not just a risk to wildlife, but also to public health, as many of the species that are targeted by snare users carry zoonotic diseases similar to Covid-19 that can be passed on to humans.

Solutions

WWF states that five areas must be prioritised to end the snaring crisis:

1. More resources must be obtained to support protected areas and the effectiveness of government law enforcement must improve. Foot patrols, for instance, can detect snares more easily than other means. However, some snares are well-hidden and other resources are therefore needed as well.

2. NGOs and law enforcement must engage with local communities and inspire them to act on the crisis and work with them to protect species.

3. Anti-snaring laws must be strengthened and updated. The use and possession of snares must also be banned.

4. Wildlife sales must be prevented by closing markets and restaurants that sell high-risk species. The consumption of these species must also be banned.

5. The demand for wildlife products, which has increased significantly as the urban middle class has grown in Southeast and East Asia, must be reduced.

It is easy to say that we must ban the wildlife trade and close all markets that sell wildlife. But without an option, these actions will fail to bring about the desired outcome. People in Southeast Asia go to wildlife markets because it is one of the few options they have to gain food. Thus, many people have to choose between purchasing products at wildlife markets and starvation. This isn't really a choice at all, as one option may give you a fatal disease, whereas the other would undoubtedly lead to death. Also, if people still need the wildlife trade to survive and it is banned, this will only push the market underground, not eliminate it. Thus, stronger incentives for avoiding engagement with the wildlife trade must be introduced and other affordable food markets must be opened.