Tanzania: Two Anti-Poaching Planes Land in Serengeti

By Marc Nkwame

Seronera — Two new special surveillance aircrafts set to be deployed for aerial patrols over Serengeti National Park and Selous Game Reserve have landed in Tanzania.

Valued at nearly 1.2bn/- the two 'Aviat Aircraft Husky A-IC' planes have been donated by Germany in its ongoing support to the local war against poaching and other forms of wildlife destruction.

Handing over one of the planes to the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Professor Jumanne Maghembe, the Ambassador of Germany to Tanzania, Mr Egon Konchake, said his country was taking conservation efforts extremely seriously and that is why they are assisting Tanzania in its war against poaching.

"Overall, we have invested over 500 million Euros in the global natural resources and wildlife conservation efforts," explained the envoy, adding that they have special mutual connection with the Serengeti National Park that German conservator and zoologist, the late Bernhard Grzimek, had helped to establish.

Speaking during the event Prof Maghembe said German had also granted Tanzania over 32 million Euros, equivalent to 80bn/-, for the next five years to aid in conservation efforts.

The funds will cover the establishment of the Tanzania Wildlife Authority (TAWA) Research, anti-poaching efforts and the setting up of a game ranger squad.

The Director General of the Tanzania National Park (TANAPA), Dr Allan Kijazi, said the manning of Serengeti National Park, measuring 14,700 square kilometres, was almost impossible by using vehicles and that planes were the only solution.

The two planes, each to be manned by two personnel, are specifically made for low-flying aerial patrol and will be dispatched to Selous, which is the largest game reserve on the continent and to Serengeti, the country's second largest national park.

"The aircrafts had been transported here in parts and assembled in Nairobi," explained Dr Kijazi, adding that each of the reconnaissance planes is valued at US $ 250,000.

The total donation is 1.2bn/- Tanzania has a total of 16 national parks, 29 game reserves and one (Ngorongoro) conservation area authority.

The country has thus dedicated more than 35 per cent of its total geographical area to conservation purposes.