The rise of subsistence poaching poses a significant threat to wildlife populations in Protected Areas (PAs) worldwide, driven by the growing human population’s reliance on PA’s for vital ecosystem services, including bushmeat. Snare traps are nooses most often constructed from wire and are the most used poaching tool in the Global South. They are designed to target ungulates such as the Ugandan kob (Kobus kob thomasi), but indiscriminately catch any large mammal that may walk through the snare. Therefore, victims of snaring include lions (Panthera leo), elephants (Loxodonta africana), and giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis).

The direct effects of the physical damage caused by snares have been well documented, causing both mortalities and injuries to victim animals. However, in this study, we aim to quantify the indirect effects of snares – specifically, whether animals can detect the presence of snares, and how they avoid them. The study will take place in Murchison Falls National Park, located in north-western Uganda. We will use a treatment-control design, using camera traps to investigate the effects of dummy snares, followed by placement of a carcass in the treatment area. We will test both coarse-scale avoidance of the snare site via occurrence modelling, as well as fine-scale behavioural avoidance of the snares such as walking around them or disarming them, shown on camera-trap video footage. Understanding these nuanced reactions to snare presence is critical for wildlife conservation efforts and addressing the growing threat of subsistence poaching in the face of increasing human population pressure.