Serengeti National Park Conservation
Serengeti national park conservation
Serengeti national park conservation is one of the best practices that has been carried out by the government and the people to protect the wildlife reserve. Serengeti National Park is among the popular wildlife viewing destinations which is located in the northern part of Tanzania. Conservation is among the practices carried out in this national park which have promoted tourism at this destination.
Conservation is defined as the preservation or efficient use of resources to prevent destruction, exploitation, decay, waste or loss.
Conservation in Serengeti national park dated back to when it was a game reserve. Serengeti national park is characterized by endless plains, grasslands, rock kopjes, rivers, and woodlands as well as trees that form the beautiful scenery of the national park.
Tourism has greatly contributed to conservation in Serengeti national park by providing revenue used to support conservation practices. The revenue generated from tourism is also used for promoting wildlife research as well as helping the local community in their livelihood and in education.
Conservation is also encouraged in tourism through awareness created internationally and the tourists, in turn, have also promoted conservation due to their physical presence in the different tourist destinations which deters certain practices such as poaching.
Serengeti national park is under the management of Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) whose major role is to promote conservation as well as preserving the rich natural heritage of the national parks for the flora and fauna.
Other practices promoted by the Tanzania National Parks Authority include promoting sustainable tourism and community involvement. This is through a commitment to a low impact on the environment and involving the local community in the protection of the natural habitat of the wildlife.
Conservation practices within Serengeti national park can be seen in different aspects at this destination such as the distribution of the visitors to the national park, distribution of the tourist facilities which has limited the impact on the environment.
Strategies to promote conservation in Serengeti national park
The ecosystem of Serengeti national park is threatened by various factors such as industrialization, human population growth, farming and poaching which threaten both the wildlife species as well as the local community which inhabits the neighboring area of the national park.
People who carry out conservation in this destination have contributed to the protection of the ecosystem in this national park. The threats to Serengeti national park have also led to combined efforts to promote conservation by different stakeholders such as volunteers and wildlife specialists.
Conservation in Serengeti national park is also highly supported by different personalities in society such as H.E Mwalimu Julius Nyerere who was the first president of the Republic of Tanzania who stated that “the survival of wildlife is a matter of concern to everyone”.
Anti-poaching laws have also been put in place to reduce the poaching of wildlife species such as elephants and rhinos. Different authorities have combined efforts to increase the coordination of anti-poaching.
The authorities within the park also monitor activities within the park to reduce and prevent poaching and other illegal activities within the national park and other crimes against the various wildlife species.
Different stakeholders have also been engaged to obtain funds for promoting conservation and reducing illegal practices within Serengeti national park such as poaching. Rangers in the national park are also trained, provide for equipment and given logistical support in order to promote conservation.
Other practices put in place to promote conservation in this national park include aerial patrols which are coordinated with the park wardens to prevent poaching and other illegal practices against wildlife in Serengeti national park.
The aerial patrols in Serengeti national park are carried out by use of planes such as the “Aviat Husky” which is used for patrols by the park wardens which helps in the observation of aspects in the national park such as environmental changes.
Ranger patrols within the national park are also put in place to protect and conserve the ecosystem of Serengeti national park. These patrols are carried out using cars and digital radio systems for communication and they are deployed in different parts of the national park.
Community outreach programs are also put in place to sensitize, empower and educate the local community of conservation in Serengeti national park as well as the critical conservation strategies and techniques.
It is, therefore, a high priority for the local community to understand the costs of conservation policies since some challenges, opposition and hostility have emerged. This, therefore, means that for conservation to benefit both the local community as well as the national park, the local community has to be sensitized about conservation practices.
Some of the conservation practices carried out by the local community include sustainable environmental management, tree planting, the establishment of nurseries, promoting cultural as well as wildlife conservation.
The Serengeti Ecosystem Management works to promote alternative ways for the local community to earn income and to benefit from protecting the area which creates incentives for conserving the Serengeti ecosystem.
De-snaring projects are also put in place within the Serengeti national park which involves looking for, locating and destroying wire snares among other traps set for the wildlife species in the national park such as wildebeest, antelopes, zebras among others.
There is also a popular catchphrase which states that “Serengeti shall never die” which is known to many people and this has also contributed to conservation within the national park due to its role in inspiring commitment to conservation. This phrase has also acted as a marketing tool for this destination and its attractions.
