Raising awareness crucial in conservation of wildlife

Bagamoyo. Public awareness on wildlife conservation is essential for communities living in wildlife corridors as it reduces the negative impacts caused by the interaction between humans and wildlife.

Tuhifadhi Maliasili monitoring and evaluation project manager, Mr John Noronha revealed this last weekend in Bagamoyo during the media training on natural resources conservation.

The project is implemented by the Journalists’ Environmental Association of Tanzania (JET) under the funding of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The training aimed at empowering journalists to report on stories that will stimulate conservation activities within communities living in the wildlife corridors and help them to benefit from available opportunities.

He said that people living in the corridors have been treating wildlife as enemies, but if they are well-educated, especially on the better protection methods in their homes and farms, it would eventually create a safe and friendly environment for co-existence.

“Awareness for the people living in the corridors is of paramount importance because it will help to reduce the negative impacts witnessed in the past. A wild animal is killed for attacking their homes or destroying farms,” said Mr Noronha.

He added that communities in the corridors can be taught different mitigating methods to protect themselves from wildlife attacks, such as beehive fencing, improving their bomas, or crocodile exclusion enclosures for those living near rivers.

On his side, the private sector engagement manager in the project, Dr Elikana Kalumanga said that wildlife corridors are vital for the communities as they earn a living within the same corridors.

He revealed the economic benefits available within the corridors including tourism activities, accommodation facilities like Burunge Tented Lodge, Tarangire River Camp, and Maramboi Tented Camp, and employment for local people.

“About 200 people are employed in accommodation facilities at Kwakuchinja corridor alone. There are 19 souvenir shops that sell different cultural products to tourists,” said Dr Kalumanga.

Dr Kalumanga added that there are 61 corridors in Tanzania that are very important to wildlife as they move from one place to another in search of water, food, and security.