FZS enhances lions’ conservation awareness in Serengeti

FRANKFURT Zoological Society (FZS) has appealed to the communities surrounding wildlife conservation areas to take part in Serengeti Safari Marathon 2022 as an initiative aimed at enhancing conservation of lions in the great Serengeti ecosystem.

Mr Masegeri Rurai, the Project Manager at FZS in Serengeti office made the appeal, during this year’s Serengeti Safari Marathon event held at Ndabaka Gate in the world-famous Serengeti National Park on Saturday.

The international conservation organisation with its headquarters in Germany took the advantage of the marathon that saw about 800 runners to intensify its lion’s conservation awareness in Western Serengeti.

“We at FZS have been using the Serengeti Safari Marathon to create awareness on the conservation of natural resources and this year, we are sensitizing the community to participate on the conservation of lions in particular,” said Mr Rurai, shortly after participating in a 10-kilometre race during the marathon.

In his speech, he described lions as imperative part of beautiful wild animals, which attract thousands of tourists visiting one of the country’s major tourists’ destinations from different corners of the world.

He said it is essential to end human-wildlife conflicts involving lions by stopping grazing domestic animals close or inside wildlife conservation areas, adding that this entices the wildlife to attack them.

The manager further said: I call upon citizens in Western Serengeti to refrain from grazing their livestock in the park and this will keep off the domestic animals from being attacked and eaten by lions. Lions do not recognize that this is a cow or a wildebeest, they grab any anima insight as a prey.”

In his analysis, he said in Tanzania, FZS is referred  as a truly conservation partner working hand in hand with the government to conserve and protect the Serengeti National Park, adding that taking care of the wildlife and relations with the communities is also part of their concern.

FZS has been present in Tanzania for more than 50 years with a strong relationship with Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA)-a government body tasked to conserve and protect the country’s national parks.