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With urban sprawl and other pressures like illegal poaching, many of our country’s most iconic species are facing extinction. As South Africans it’s our responsibility to protect and conserve our wildlife heritage for future generations to come.
Over the past nine months, the Animal Welfare Society of SA rescued, rehabilitated and released many wild animals – from gigantic Leopard Tortoises to majestic birds of prey.
They conducted over 6 700 consultations, treated over 2 000 inpatients and their Inspectorate helped to relieve the pain and suffering of over 670 animals.
“These statistics paint a grim picture of how some people callously abuse and underestimate the value of animals but all is not lost if we as a nation acknowledge the sentience of animals and begin to appreciate the inestimable joy they bring”, says the Animal Welfare Society of SA.
“Last week, we came to the aid of a Hadada Ibis (that is native to Sub-Saharan Africa) with both legs grossly entangled in nylon twine and a broken wing as well as an Angulate Tortoise with a fatally cracked shell”, they added further.
Both are protected species and killing them is unlawful but this doesn’t stop some individuals from harming them.
“To see this magnificent bird (sometimes referred to as the flying Vuvuzela) maimed and crippled due to human carelessness was heart-breaking and to see the tortoise fighting to stay alive as she drowned in her own blood after having being cornered and relentlessly pelted with rocks and bricks by a group of youths was saddening”, adds AWS SA.
Sadly they could not be saved. The Animal Welfare Society of SA felt obliged to let you know how they suffered – needlessly – in the hope that it will save other animals from befalling a similar tragic fate.
Right now human-wildlife conflict continues unabated to the detriment of many wild animals (especially Baboons) and the serious issue of environmental pollution has been exacerbated by uncaring individuals discarding their used face masks and artificial hair extensions in areas where they constitute a danger to all animals who swallow or become entangled in these “death traps”.
“Harmless and defenceless wild animals (like tortoises) represent easy targets for the mischievous who appear to take great delight in hurting them. This senseless cruelty has to stop and our appeal in the build-up to this Heritage Day is for everyone to be mindful of the needs and welfare of all animals”, concludes the Animal Welfare Society of SA.
Please call 021 692 2626 during office hours or 082 601 1761 after hours to report all acts of animal cruelty. You may remain anonymous.
Picture: Facebook / The Animal Welfare Society of SA / Unsplash