A male waterbuck trapped by a snare and struggling for survival has been rescued by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) following a dramatic operation at Ecoscapes Farm in the Rift Valley.

According to KWS, the distressed animal was found stranded in water with a winch-wire snare tightly wound around its head and neck, causing painful injuries and severely restricting its movement.

The Kenya Wildlife Service’s Rift Valley Mobile Veterinary Unit responded to an urgent distress call and found the exhausted animal unable to free itself from the trap.

Reaching the waterbuck proved challenging, with members of the veterinary team forced to swim to the animal before carefully restraining it and removing the snare.

Veterinarians then treated the injuries sustained from the wire trap before transferring the animal to a safer location for recovery.

“The waterbuck’s survival depended on urgent intervention,” KWS said, noting that the rescue required skill, teamwork and quick action from both veterinarians and wildlife rangers.

Following treatment, the animal was translocated to Crater Lake Conservancy, where it will continue recovering under close monitoring.

KWS said the incident highlights the persistent threat posed by snares, which are commonly associated with illegal bushmeat hunting and other wildlife crimes.

Unlike targeted hunting methods, snares are indiscriminate traps that can injure or kill a wide range of wildlife species, often leaving animals with severe injuries if they survive initial entanglement.

Conservationists warn that the continued use of snares not only causes suffering to individual animals but also threatens wildlife populations and undermines ongoing conservation efforts.

KWS has urged members of the public to report suspected wildlife crimes and illegal activities through its 24-hour toll-free hotline or WhatsApp reporting platform.

Thanks to the swift intervention by the veterinary team, the rescued waterbuck is expected to make a full recovery.