Anti-poaching groups have blamed socio-economic problems for the rise in poaching and snaring in various protected areas such as game reserves. Speaking after a recent sweep of snares at Tala Collection Game Reserve, located between Easton and Camperdown in KwaZulu-Natal, Lawrence Reed, founder of Rave Rhino and Wildlife Project on Sunday, 16 January, said they had seen an increase in the number of snares being discovered at the game reserve. Reed said their anti-poaching team based at the reserve since 2015 had noticed that the socio-economic challenges associated with Covid-19 had had an impact on the rise in poaching of wild animals roaming around in the reserve.