African Wildlife

Lion Welfare and Snare Injuries in African National Parks

Wire snares set inside and adjacent to African national parks kill and injure large mammals including lions. Lions that scavenge snared prey or become snared themselves suffer severe injuries requiring veterinary intervention or resulting in death.

Key Facts

Snare-injured lions are documented across multiple African national parks
Secondary snaring occurs when lions investigate snared prey and become caught themselves
Wire snares can amputate paws and cause progressive infections if not treated
Veterinary teams in parks including Hwange and Ruaha respond to snare injuries when reported
Snare removal programs operating inside parks have demonstrated significant reduction in injury rates

Welfare Considerations

Lions with snare injuries suffer progressive tissue damage as wire constricts around limbs. Infections in snare wounds lead to septicaemia and death without treatment. Injured lions that cannot hunt normally may prey on livestock in adjacent areas, creating conflict situations that result in retaliatory killing, compounding the welfare harm. Lion cubs whose mothers are incapacitated by snare injuries face starvation.

What You Can Do

Support Lion Recovery Fund anti-snaring programs in priority parks
Donate to WCS and Panthera lion conservation and snare removal
Advocate for international support for park ranger funding in snare-heavy areas
Engage with wildlife governance programs that support effective park management
Report suspected snaring activity to park authorities when visiting African reserves