THE WILDLIFE RESOURCES IN THE DRYLANDS OF TANZANIA:

Abstract:

The Wildlife Sector under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism has the mandate to manage wildlife resources and its associated biodiversity in core protected areas i.e. national parks, game reserves and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In addition, the Wildlife Division manages wildlife in game controlled areas and open areas. Wildlife conservation is administered through enforcement of the National Parks Ordinance (Cap 412) of 1959 that administers national parks, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Ordinance (Cap 413) of 1959 that administer Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Wildlife Conservation Act No. 12 of 1974. Some of the national parks, game reserves and game controlled areas fall within the Dryland ecosystems.

In this paper the author puts in perspective the mandate, role and contribution of the Wildlife Sector in the conservation of biodiversity particularly in the dryland areas.

The mere fact that about 4,787 km2 of dryland is protected as national parks, 7,464 km2 as game reserves and 19,621 km2 as game controlled areas, it is undisputable that the Wildlife Sector plays a very significant role in the conservation and development of biodiversity in dry land ecosystems.

But there are challenges. The paper therefore, also highlights on some prominent achievements made as well as the challenges that the Sector faces in its attempts to safeguard, develop and sustainably utilise those resources amid conflicting interests from other stakeholders such as livestock keepers, farmers, and those communities whose life is dependent on direct exploitation of dryland resources.

For more information, contact the Author:
B.N. Andulege
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
Wildlife Division
P.O. Box 1994
Dar Es Salaam.
Tel: +255 22 2866418 Fax: +255 22 2865836
Email: director@wildlife.go.tz