Ministry provides 400m/- to wildlife victims in Nachingwea

LINDI: MINISTRY of Natural Resources and Tourism provided over 399m/- last year to console 1,658 citizens affected by destructive wildlife in Nachingwea District, Lindi Region.

Nachingwea District Commissioner, Mohamed Hassan Moyo, revealed the information during a recent meeting with journalists to highlight efforts of the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) in addressing the challenges posed by destructive wildlife in the region.

“The government, through its mechanism, has identified about 1,658 victims in Nachingwea District. Under the strong leadership of President Samia Suluhu, the government disbursed the funds last year to assist those affected, ensuring that each eligible individual received the necessary support,” expressed the DC. DC Moyo also acknowledged the persistent issue of aggressive wildlife, particularly elephants, causing damage to property and threatening lives in the area.

In response to these challenges, he commended the ongoing educational programmes conducted by TAWA and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) to empower citizens with effective strategies for managing wildlife encounters.

“TAWA has taken a lot of proactive measures, and I have also been participating in some, for instance, in the use of helicopters to deter elephants and the establishment of soldier stations to address wildlife emergencies,” noted the DC.

Detailing on the TAWA’s efforts to address the challenges posed by dangerous and destructive wildlife in the Southern corridors, Chief Conservationist, Operations Division Unit, Linus Chuwa noted that, TAWA has set up 10 permanent stations for soldiers to deal with wildlife, with the remaining five being temporary, particularly during times when the wildlife emerges.

According to him, TAWA was also successful in purchasing a brandnew truck for the station’s soldiers to use at the Malola station.

Additionally, it purchased specialist drones designed to scare off elephants, which were used last year to, reportedly, partial success.

He said other efforts made by TAWA in collaboration with stakeholders include collaring GPS and GSM tracking devices around three elephant’s necks to monitor their movements and control them before they reach human settlements.

Mr Chuwa has added that TAWA has sent 41 Village Game Scouts (VGS) to the Community Based Conservation Training Centre (CBCTC) -Likuyu Sekamaganga for training in managing aggressive and destructive wildlife and has confirmed that TAWA has confirmed that it uses these VGS in various wildlife control events.

For his part, TAWA Public Relations Officer, Beatus Maganja, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting communities from destructive wildlife.

He said that the visit aimed to showcase the government’s dedication to wildlife conservation efforts and assure local residents of ongoing initiatives to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) in collaboration with various stakeholders such as TAWIRI, ‘Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit’ (GIZ), and Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA).

“Overall, the government’s support and TAWA’s strategic interventions demonstrate a united front in safeguarding both wildlife and communities in the region,” he noted.