Editors join hands to protect elephants!

DOMESTIC tourism and wildlife conservation received the attention they deserve from the most senior journalists in the country this week. A three-day workshop was organised by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) at VETA in Morogoro Region from June 6 this year.

JACKS MEENA

About 40 editors and senior reporters convened at this meeting to annotate, cogitate and discuss issues of concern around tourism and conservation in the country.

A number of papers ranging from “Livestock Challenges in the National Parks”, “Marketing Domestic Tourism in Tanzania”, “Mega-herbivores Conservation and Challenges in 12st Century” and “The role of the Media in Conservation of Natural Resources” to mention but a few were presented and discussed by experts in the field.

Officiating the workshop, the Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources Prof Jumanne Maghembe, called upon journalists to remain observant and vigorously inform policy makers, government officials, politicians, activists and members of the general public the importance of conserving the natural resources, protecting endangered animals such as elephants, rhinos and water sources.

He said it is important for all people to understand the interdependency between forests, animals, water sources and human beings. “I request you to use your knowledge, skills and media channels to enlighten all key stakeholders the value of conserving our natural resources for our own benefit and generations to come,” he emphasised.

Prof Maghembe added that conservation, or the preservation of the world’s natural resources, mitigates or reverses the negative effects of human activity.

“Many of the earth’s resources are non-renewable, once depleted, they are gone for good. Without intervention, minerals and coal will eventually run out, and animals and plants may become extinct.

Environmental pollution, species extinction and global climate change are all in part results of human mismanagement of the Earth’s resources,” he cautioned.

During the discussion it was revealed that in Africa- a continent endowed with a variety of wild animals and natural resources- the number of elephants is declining at an astounding rate and concerted efforts are needed to bring the situation to sobriety.

“Poaching has remained a major challenge in Africa and Tanzania in particular. In early 20th Century we had more than 4 million elephants in Africa but we now have close to 470,000. In Tanzania we had 109,051 elephants in 2009 but we now have close to 30,000” he reiterated.

So, as elephants continue to roam across much of Africa their survival is threatened by a cartel of poachers who use sophisticated weapons and technology to kill them.

An expert in this workshop informed participants that at times ‘noise-less’ jets are used by poachers to accomplish their missions. You can simply envision the plight of these magnificent animals!

They remain under severe threat from poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict. According to WWF, elephants in Africa continue to be poached at an alarming rate despite a ban on the international trade in ivory.

In Tanzania, Selous Game Reserve is the most affected Reserve by poachers despite government mounted effort to protect the animals. Tens of thousands of elephants are killed every year for their tusks.

The ivory is often carved into ornaments and jewelers – the Far East is the biggest consumer market for such products. The ban in international trade was introduced in 1989 by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and it allowed some populations to recover, especially where elephants were adequately protected.

Report by WWF, confirms that there has been an upsurge in poaching in recent years, which has led to steep declines in forest elephant numbers and some savannah elephant populations. News that six hard core illegal poachers are behind bars until this piece is good but there remain many more who are still at large.

We all know that this illegal business is as organised as drug trafficking and therefore more resources should be set aside if we are to win this ‘war.’ This is a war because it’s about protecting the lives of innocent animals who cannot defend themselves but also because sophisticated weapons and technology is employed and the killing rate is alarming.

I believe President JPM and his officials are well informed and that they will use all their powers to bring to justice all criminals to protect these animals. Worth noting, is that these animals are sentient-beings and have all the right to live and display their natural behaviour.

The killing of animals by surrounding villagers and grazing of domestic animals in the National Parks and Game Reserves is a practice that needs to be checked and eventually stopped by all means necessary.

Equally, the journals who attended the meeting resolved to use their pens to write articles on conservation and domestic tourism to engage policy makers, government officials, politicians, activists, youth and members of the general public on the same.

But the Minister challenged journalists to engage in research and make use of experts in the field to enlighten themselves with the right knowledge on conservation and tourism to well inform targeted audience.

As we ponder the 2016/17 Budget, let us join hands in a war against elephant and rhino poaching in Tanzania and across Africa.