GRUMETI Fund, a non-profit organisation carrying out wildlife conservation and community development work in the western corridor of the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania, has asked councilors in Serengeti District to help push the ongoing anti- poaching efforts at Ikorongo/ Grumeti Reserves.
Taking the stance in Serengeti yesterday, while hosting councilors from Serengeti District Council in their familirisation tour to the company, Grumeti Fund General Manager (GM), Mr Noel Mbise said: “We appeal for your cooperation because poaching has serious effects on wildlife, environment, economy and the community up the hierarchy.”
He noted with effective cooperation from the councilors in protecting wildlife in the two wildlife game reserves of Ikorongo and Grumeti, which form part of the Serengeti ecosystem, the wild animals’ population would increase.
Mr Mbise further said that concerted efforts are required to curb poaching in order to have a vibrant and sustainable conservation sector so as to boost national income generated from tourism.
The manager added: “Massive use of snares in poaching has been the greatest challenge in wildlife conservation areas. Here, they use snaresto trap wild animals and this must be addressed, because the snares also trap lions.”
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Serengeti District Council Chairman, Mr Ayub Mwita Makuruma promised to educate and warn their residents against poaching because it is illegal.
“You (Grumeti Fund) are an important conservation stakeholder in our district and as councilors, we promise you maximum cooperation in the battle against poaching at Ikorongo/ Grumeti Game Reserves,” said Mr Makuruma, who is also the councilor for Busawe ward on the ruling party CCM ticket.
Grumeti Fund apart from being a non-profit organization that supports conservation and community development activities in Western Serengeti has been working with its sister organization-Grumeti Reserves, an American investor, which owns and operates several world class luxurious lodges in Western Serengeti.
In their itinerary, the councilors visited Sasakwa, one of the lodges owned by the US investor as well as a game drive to enable them view a variety of beautiful wild animals including lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras and wildebeests just to mention a few.
Grumeti Fund community development activities target more than 20 rural villages of Serengeti and Bunda districts in Mara region with the initiative of eliminating poaching in the beneficiary villages as well as improving the welfare of the surrounding communities.
