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Conservation in Coastal East Africa


In recent months all eyes have been focusing (and rightfully so) in the direction of Rhino poaching and the effects thereof in Africa. Now a subject close to millions of hearts around the world, our fight to protect this magnificent species is ongoing –every birth of baby rhino a celebration and every loss brings with it a dark blanket of grief.

As conservationists, there are many facets of the natural world that have become our passion our war, our life-long searches for answers that spill over into the next generation after us and in doing so we continue to hope for relief from the devastation and havoc that man has wreaked on planet Earth.

At Hartley’s Safari’s we have a passion for Africa and East Africa is high on our priority list. Our guests are treated to myriads of natural landscapes and wild scenery as well as several of the most majestic and fascinating animals on earth. This makes East Africa a mecca for nature lovers. Many of the visitors coming to the region do so for the opportunity to enjoy a safari and to experience up close and personal interactions with those animals that have us infinitely fascinated –lions, leopards, wild dogs, rhino, elephant , to name but a few.

Tanzania, Mozambique and Kenya boast a rich biodiversity of ecosystems and natural resources which is quite strange considering the level of poverty in these destinations. Unfortunately this same poverty has resulted in illegal and unsustainable trade with other countries and valuable natural resources are being lost to other countries-Europe, Asia and China. This illegal trade has proven extremely difficult to control due to insufficient resources. In turn, the poor communities of these coastal destinations suffer the most when these resources are destroyed. Global climate change in these countries is indicated by periods of persistent drought, unpredictable rainfall and drastic weather conditions.

For those passionate about fishing, you will be able to empathise with the severe threat of unsustainable fishing practices in the aforementioned countries. The interest of overfishing, is to eradicate hunger issues in developing countries all over the world, as well as to create a vast improvement of job opportunities, however due to our unsustainable fishing practices, it is just a matter of time before our oceans are completely depleted of marine species, and the destruction of the aquatic ecosystem. This issue will result in irreparable socio-economic and environmental circumstances that will be of severe consequence if we do not alter our local and international commercial fishing operations.

According to foreign media reports, Tanzania’s greatest threat at the moment, is the proposed road bisecting Serengeti National Park, which scientists, conservationists, the UN, and foreign governments alike have condemned. Home to the world’s largest migration of land animals—two million wildebeest, antelope, and zebra migrate annually across this vast grassland—many view the Serengeti plains as one of the most astounding wildlife areas on Earth, and it is certainly among the most famous. Other concerns include the fast-tracking of soda ash mining in the world’s most important breeding ground for lesser flamingos, and the recent announcement to nullify an application for UNESCO World Heritage Status for a portion of Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains, a threatened tropical forest area rich in species found no-where else. According to President Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzania is simply trying to provide for its poorest citizens (such as communities near the Serengeti and the Eastern Arc Mountains) while pursuing western-style industrial development.

Obviously, Kikwete’s job is not straightforward. High expectations have to be balanced with on-the-ground realities, rising commodity prices and energy shortages. Infrastructure is left badly wanting within impoverished communities. Tanzania, like many East African nations, has faced terrible droughts in the past few years that have had devastating effects on its agriculture sector. The AIDS crisis is ongoing and Tanzania struggles to provide education to all its citizens. Kikwete is facing a rash of poaching and serious management issues within conservation areas.

WWF is calling for a more integrated policy approach to ensure that land and water intensive investments are more sustainable and benefit the host country. The good news is that like WWF, there are many organisations that are working towards solutions by providing funding to organizations like Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to assist in the anti-poaching operations, by working directly with local communities to form areas of protection for natural resources and conservancies where wildlife is closely monitored and protected.

Projects such as building rainwater tanks whereby the communities can have access to rainwater, as opposed to using methods of deforestation in order to try and reach water within the forested areas.

In the Masai -Mara, eight wildlife conservancies have been formed, which offer land lease payments of US$25-40 per hectare (ha) per year to landowners (Bedelian, 2012). These schemes, financed by ecotourism operators, aim to keep land open for wildlife and provide landowners with a regular income stream. They now cover over 90,000 ha, securing vital migratory corridors and dispersal areas for wildebeest from both the Serengeti and the Loita Plains.

By taking into account wildlife and their migratory routes, people, livestock, landscapes and natural resources, a more comprehensive conservation effort can be made. Extensive communication and discussions with communities and landowners, governments, and conservation organisations is essential before any action can be taken.

Greenpeace is working on solutions with regards to overfishing that would entail a network of well enforced marine reserves across the region and sustainable fishing and fish processing operations managed and financed by Africans, providing livelihoods, food security and enabling poverty alleviation in the region. Africa’s waters need to be managed by well -funded, functioning regional oceans management organisations.

In a nutshell,although our business at Hartley’s is Safaris,conservation of our destinations is close to our hearts. Knowledge is power ,and with this in mind, we share with you a brief look into the conservation concerns and proposed solutions of these jewels of our continent that make up our majestic Coastal East Africa!

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SATSA No. 207
 

Hartley’s Safaris is registered with Southern Africa Tourism Association Registration number 207.

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SATSA No. 207

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