A wildlife rescue team managed to rescue an elephant that got caught in a poacher’s snare.

Good thing the poor animal was rescued before anything bad could have happened to them or the animals near them.

The team rescued Martha, the elephant, after thinking quickly.

She was spotted with her foot caught in a hunter’s snare.

The elephant had her young calf with her when the incident happened and rescuers said if they did not come in to help, the calf and the elephant would have passed away.

Conservationist Catherine Norton was called to the Musango Island Safari Camp after the owner of the camp saw the adult Martha having a hard time to walk.

Norton, who is 58 years old, said:

We had to immobilise Martha, because without our intervention she would have died. She had a calf with her, who was still dependant on her. There was a wire snare digging deep into her left front leg, crippling her and causing severe pain. We had to clean the wound and as it was infected, give her antibiotics and remove the snare with wire cutters. It only took her a few minutes to come around but the outcome could have been so much worse. It shows how much damage can be done to an innocent animal with just one piece of wire. One poacher could set up to twenty snares a day, leaving the animal suffering for days. Poaching isn’t just about shooting and axes. This method is just as cruel and equally as deadly.

Luckily the elephant and the calf were rescued before anything bad could have happened to them.

It is not known if the camp will carry out an investigation to find the person that set up the trap for the elephant.

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