Mada za sehemu hiiResources Of TanzaniaMada 7
Protected areas in Tanzania
Tanzania is endowed with abundant wildlife found in many protected areas. Almost 28 percent of Tanzanian land is reserved for wildlife. Protected areas contain various wildlife, which is our national heritage. The main protected areas in Tanzania consist of national parks, game reserves, conservation areas, game-controlled areas, and wildlife management areas.
For example, the protected areas contain all the Big Five animals: lions, elephants, rhinoceros, leopards, and buffalos. Other animals found in these areas include giraffes, hippopotamuses, antelopes, wildebeest, zebras, cheetahs, crocodiles, baboons, and hyenas. Additionally, there are wild dogs, chimpanzees, and other small animals.
Likewise, our protected areas contain various attractive birds and insects. Tourists visit these areas to watch beautiful animals, birds, insects, and butterflies.
Tourism contributes significantly to foreign currency earnings. The tourism sector contributed about 17.6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2017 and 2019. Foreign currency is essential for purchasing goods from other countries. Due to their contribution to the national economy, it is important to conserve our protected areas for the benefit of current and future generations.
Various methods can be used to conserve protected areas in Tanzania, including:
- Formulating and implementing policies and laws that promote the sustainable use of protected areas.
- Training and recruiting adequate wildlife professionals to manage protected areas and provide conservation education to local communities.
- Fighting illegal hunting and other wildlife crimes to prevent the reduction of animal populations.
- Making participatory land-use plans to prevent conflicts between wildlife, farmers, and pastoralists.
Protected areas in Tanzania face several challenges, including:
- Shortage of financial and human resources for proper management.
- Lack of vehicles and modern communication equipment to safeguard the protected areas.
- Land-use conflicts due to inadequate water and pasture resources, forcing wildlife to move into human settlements where they are killed.
- Illegal hunting and wildlife trade, which reduces animal populations.
- Spread of diseases between wildlife and humans, which affects both populations.
The following strategies can help address challenges facing Tanzania's protected areas:
- Training and recruiting more wildlife professionals to enhance management and conservation.
- Developing participatory land-use plans that consider the needs of national parks, game reserves, livestock, agriculture, infrastructure, industries, and human settlements.
- Allocating sufficient funds for the proper management of protected areas.
- Promoting environmental conservation to protect wildlife and their habitats.
- Monitoring protected areas to prevent fires, diseases, and poaching.
- Implementing long-term strategies to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
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