MOROGORO: The Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), in collaboration with conservation partners from the Friedkin Conservation Fund (FCF), has enhanced the protection of rhinos in the Maswa Game Reserve, Meatu District, Simiyu Region, by fitting them with GPS tracking devices.
These devices assist wildlife officers in monitoring the movements of rhinos across the Maswa Game Reserve and surrounding areas, helping to combat poaching incidents.
TAWA’s Rhino Projects Coordinator, Chief Warden Omary Khalid Msangi, speaking to reporters yesterday, emphasized that the protection of rhinos in the area, which borders the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, has been significantly strengthened.
“TAWA, in collaboration with conservation stakeholders in Maswa, including the TGT company under the Friedkin Conservation Fund and the Frankfurt Zoological Society, has successfully implemented the initiative of fitting rhinos with communication devices,” he said.
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Msangi praised Friedkin’s Director for their active participation in this project, which has yielded substantial benefits for conservation efforts.
Discussing the GPS tracking project, some of the conservationists expressed their appreciation for TAWA, Friedkin, and the Frankfurt Zoological Society for successfully carrying out this initiative.
Jonathan Masunga highlighted the importance of rhino protection, noting that in the past, poaching posed a significant threat to the species, but this has now been brought under control.
Meatu District Commissioner, Fauzia Ngatumbura, also commended Friedkin Conservation and its associated companies for their continued support of conservation and community development projects in Meatu District, Simiyu Region.
The Friedkin Institute, through its various companies, including Tanzania Game Trackers Safaris Ltd (TGT) and Mwiba Holding Ltd, has been instrumental in supporting numerous conservation and community development projects.
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In Meatu District, where these companies have invested, they have constructed and handed over homes for healthcare providers, teachers’ houses, classrooms, and wildlife officers’ stations to fight poaching and mitigate the impact of dangerous wildlife on local communities.
Mwiba Holding has also contributed by providing free meals to students at Makao School, donating bicycles to students for commuting to school, sponsoring the education of children from poor households, and providing education on conservation and self-awareness.
