Zimbabwe snare collector killed by buffalo

By Never Kadungure

The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force has announced the tragic death of renowned wildlife activist Steve Kok who is thought to have been killed by a wild buffalo in Charara on Thursday.

‘Steve drove off into the bush late on Thursday afternoon to try and locate a wounded buffalo. According to reports, the buffalo had lost one of its legs due to a snare wound.’

‘When Steve didn’t return, a search party went out and found his vehicle on the powerline road near Charara. They found his body about 160 metres from the vehicle and it is thought that he was killed by the wounded buffalo he was trying to locate,’ the ZCTF said in a statement.

For the past few years, Steve Kok woke up at 5 o’clock every morning of the year and scoured the bush for wire snares. Thanks to him, hundreds of animals were saved from an agonizing death. 

Steve never received any payment and very little recognition for his selfless efforts to preserve the wildlife. He did it because he was desperately concerned about the dwindling numbers of animals in Kariba and his only reward was just knowing he had made a difference.

ZCTF director Johnny Rodrigues told Nehanda Radio, ‘I will always remember Steve as a quiet, humble, unassuming person, never looking for credit and his death is a huge blow for the wildlife in Kariba. Our sincere condolences to his wife, Trish and his whole family on the loss of a very special man.’