MARA:Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) is hosting a crucial workshop to examine the results of the ongoing project that seeks to minimize or end human-wildlife conflicts in Tanzania’s wildlife-district of Serengeti in Mara Region.
The two-day work workshop which began in Mugumu today (Wednesday) brought together key stakeholders including local government leaders, wildlife officers, as well as other conservation stakeholders like the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), Serengeti National Park, Grumeti Fund, Serengeti District Council and Ikona Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
“Today we are gathered here in Mugumu to share the outcomes of our activities with conservationists. We are doing this to help Serengeti district council deal with the challenges of human-wildlife conflicts,” Masegeri Rurai, the FZS Project Manager told the workshop.
By so doing, he said, the local communities living near the areas prone to destructive wild animals, among them elephants and lions, will definitely like wildlife conservation.
“It is not right for wananchi to treat wild animals as their enemies. Wildlife conservation is helpful in the development of both tourism and the wellbeing of people,’’ Rurai said.
The project has, among other things, helped to establish land use plans in 22 villages of Serengeti district, under the support of the German government through KfW Development Bank, he said.
Besides the establishment of land use plans, capacity building for local communities was implemented to enable them use their strategies in minimizing the impacts of human-wildlife conflicts.
Serengeti district officials lauded FZS, saying the international conservation organization with its headquarters in Germany is one of the key stakeholders in spearheading wildlife conservation matters and local area development.
“We thank you for organizing this workshop and for involving all stakeholders,” Serengeti District Administrative Secretary (DAS) Ms Angelina Mariko said, on behalf of the area District Commissioner when opening the workshop earlier.
The DAS said about 75 percent of the district is made up of wildlife conservation areas, including the world-famous Serengeti National Park.
Thus, she said, the district is also rated as having the highest number of human-wildlife conflict cases, mostly involving elephants and lions.
Meanwhile, participants of the workshop witnessed the official opening of the Rapid Response Team Office that seeks to intensify ongoing efforts, meant to curb increasing human/wildlife conflicts in the area.
FZS has spent over TZS 30m/- to rehabilitate and equip the new office with the latest digital devices like computers, used to monitor the movements of wild animals, sneaking out of their habitat to wreak havoc in the neighbouring villages.
With the support of Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) through FZS, the office has also been given a patrol vehicle to help restrain the elephants from invading crop farms,
“This vehicle should be used for monitoring elephants and lions only, not for any other activities,” the FZS project Manager emphasized.
For almost 60 years now, FZS has been supporting the government of Tanzania on wildlife conservation matters by ensuring that the Serengeti ecology remains intact, as well as improving the lives of local communities, among other things.
