Kenya: Lion rescued from deadly wire snare

A lion in Kenya was recently caught in a wire snare that was cutting into its paw.

In a Facebook post, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust explained that the big cat had stepped into the snare, which tightened increasingly around its paw as the lion tried to escape.

The Kenya Wildlife Service and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust found the male lion, which had been hiding in a thicket, injured and in pain. Veterinarians used bolt cutters to free the lion's paw from the trap. They said the lion might have lost its paw entirely had the snare remained in place any longer.

«Thanks to this team effort and the swift response, this big cat has a good prognosis for a full recovery and should be able to roar for another day«, the caption of the social media post reads.

Snare traps are commonly used in the illegal bushmeat trade in Africa — a trade in which wild animals are caught and sold for consumption. Depending on the location, these traps consist of snares set at a specific height. The necks or legs of animals become caught in the snare, and when the animals struggle, the snare is designed to tighten further.

Amie Alden of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust shared that lions are in dire straits due to the impacts of bushmeat poaching. The trade kills the lions' prey animals and maims the big cats.

Ms Alden added that it is difficult to comprehend the pain these animals endure before receiving treatment, but that thanks to timely intervention, their suffering can be alleviated.

The wild animals die from their injuries or starve and dehydrate. Hundreds of thousands of animals are killed every year for the bushmeat trade. This not only threatens the lives of endangered animals, but can also be dangerous for humans. The captured wild animals carry pathogens, meaning that people who eat their flesh or come into contact with their bodily fluids can contract diseases and zoonoses.