By Henry Lyimo
THE government has stepped
up efforts to contain wildlife poaching and remains upbeat that damning
reports about the vice by international media organisations will not
deter growth prospects of the tourism industry.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and
Tourism, Dr Adelhelm Meru, told the 'Daily News' in an interview in Dar
es Salaam that it had boosted efforts to poaching and wildlife
trafficking by using a multisectoral approach.
He said this was being done with development partners and
international organisations. "You cannot say for the time being that it
will affect tourism prospects.
We have diversified tourist attractions," he said in an interview;
noting, however, that the threat would be real if the government left
poaching to escalate.
Some international media organisations reported that poaching in
Tanzania was threatening to undermine the growing tourism economy
quoting Dr Meru as warning that poaching could affect as many as 3.8
million tourismsector jobs across Africa, including guides, drivers, and
hotel and restaurant staff.
He, however, said the reports had been exaggerated about the threat
and had ignored efforts taken by the government to tackle the problem.
Dr Meru pointed out that they were optimistic that the measures would
stem the rampant wildlife poaching and the tourism sector would grow as
expected.
"If wildlife poaching is left to increase then you will kill wildlife
tourism," he observed. The permanent secretary said surveys conducted
in wildlife sanctuaries last year had shown that the number of elephants
had increased in Serengeti, Tarangire and Arusha national parks but
declined in Ruaha/Rungwe ecosystem, raising alarm of rampant poaching.
The survey found out that the jumbos had increased from 3,068 in 2009
to 6,087 last year in Serengeti National Park and from 2,561 in 2009 to
4,202 last year in Tarangire National Park, he said.
The number of elephants had also shot up from 100 in 2009 to 200 in
2014 at Arusha National Park, he said. According to Dr Meru, the number
of elephants had dropped at Katavi/Rukwa ecosystem from 6,356 in 2009 to
5,700 in 2014 but the most alarming decline was registered at
Ruaha/Rungwe ecosystem where the number of jumbos fell from 34,604 in
2009 census to 8,272 in 2014.
"This is what raised the alarm but as always when elephants are
killed, you would see their carcasses in aerial surveys. This wasn't the
case with the 2014 census," he said, noting no carcass was located
during the 2014 census, rendering the sharp drop in the number of
elephants a big puzzle.
The permanent secretary said the government would conduct a
validation exercise next month and in October this year to verify the
findings of 2014 census at Ruaha/Rungwe ecosystem.
"We can't speculate if the sharp drop in the number is due to
poaching or migration and that's why we conduct the validation process
to determine the actual situation," he said.
He said the government was doing all in its capacity to contain
wildlife poaching using a multi-sectoral approach and through
collaboration with development partners and international organisations.
He said the government had established a Wildlife Management
Authority to enhance efficient and effective protection, management and
administration of wildlife resources.
The government had also increased about 700 game rangers in the
2014/15 financial year and has applied for recruitment of some more in
the current financial year, he said.
He said the government had also received from development partners
and international organisations game patrol vehicles, guns, uniforms,
tents, and other items which include binoculars, night goggles and GPS.
The government is also involving communities in the management of
wildlife resources including establishment of Wildlife Management Areas
(WMAs), which are owned and managed by the communities.
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