Serengeti Wildlife to access Lake Victoria’s water as climate change looms large

Acacia_tree_on_a_sunrise_safari_at_the_Serengeti_National_Park,_Tanzania
Acacia_tree_on_a_sunrise_safari_at_the_Serengeti_National_Park,_Tanzania
Avatar of Nell Alcantara
Written by Nell Alcantara

Ecology

Ecology
Chief Ecologist with Serengeti National Park, Emilian Kihwele says that the revival of the wildlife corridor linking the vital Serengeti-Maasai Mara ecosystem with Lake Victoria is imperative.

Mr. Kihwele says that the basin, which straddles the Kenya-Tanzania border, is adversely affected by climate change and human activities not compatible with conservation interests, putting the worldโ€™s greatest annual wildlife migration across east Africa’s plains โ€“ under threat.

Planetโ€™s largest wildlife migration โ€“ the annual loop of two million wildebeest and other mammals across the Tanzaniaโ€™s legendary national park of Serengeti and Kenyaโ€™s renowned Maasai Mara reserve โ€“ is a key tourist lure, generating multi-million-dollars annually.

A leading TANAPA ecologist, Dr. James Wakibara says that ripple effects of climate change as well as large-scale irrigation and industrial activity such as mining along the sprawling basin have led to higher rates of water abstraction.

Increased clearance of the forest and cultivation, respectively, in the upper catchment of Mau escarpments in Kenya has progressively led to excessive sediment loads and altered hydrograph of the Mara River, the only source of drinking water for Serengeti-Mara ecosystem wildlife during the dry months of August-September.

Consequently, both seasonal floods and droughts have become more frequent and extreme, leading to Mara River water flow becoming unpredictable in the past few years, scientists say.

Since Mara is not a large river, ever increasing abstractions or pollution will eventually severely degrade the riverine ecosystem and even impinge upon the most basic needs of people, livestock, wildlife, and the overall basinโ€™s economy.

โ€œIf the irregular flow of Mara river becomes more and more extreme, it could, for example, cause a collapse in the wildebeest populations, thus hampering the entire migration cycle that sustains the Maasai Mara – Serengeti ecosystemโ€ Dr Wakibara says.

The habitual migration – which has occurred without interruption for thousands of years – is one of the most extraordinary movements of animals on earth. Nearly 2 million of these huge creatures trudge across Kenya and Tanzania in a vast 3,000km arc.

This globally unbeaten spectacle has led Serengeti to be named the 7th Wonder of the World in the year 2008.

En route, the animals eat 7,000 tons of grass a day and drink enough water in Mara River to fill five swimming pools.

(end of part three)

Serengeti Wildlife to access Lake Victoria’s water as climate change looms large

IMG_1538
IMG_1538
Avatar of Nell Alcantara
Written by Nell Alcantara

Protest

Protest
However, Bunda Legislator and a cabinet minister, Mr. Stephen Wasira, doesnโ€™t buy this idea, maintaining that the people were legitimate inhabitants in the area and should not be evicted.

Mr. Wassira, who is a Minister of State in the President’s Office (Social Relations and Coordination), proposed that TANAPA in collaboration with the ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources to establish a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Ghuba Speke.

“What is necessary is free movement of wildlife, and formation of the WMA will facilitate the animals to access water in Lake Victoria and make people benefit too,โ€ says Mr. Wasira noted.

While the document does not indicate the alternative land for the would be evictees, the Bunda District council chairman, Mr. Joseph Malimbe also says his district has no place to settle more than 8,000 people who would be affected by the project.

There are some arguments that the country should construct huge dams in the Serengeti National park and then use technology to drain waters from Lake Victoria to feed the boreholes instead of evicting the villagers.

However, analysts say should the state buy this idea, it could spark a diplomacy row with Egypt, the major beneficiary of the Nile River agreement.

The 1929 Nile River Agreement, which was drawn up by Great Britain when it was the colonial power in north and east Africa, grants Egypt the lionโ€™s share of utilization of the Nile River and the right to veto any construction project that would harm its interests.

An amended agreement was signed in 1959 by Egypt and Sudan, and not by the other eight Nile Basin countries, allocating 55.5 billion cubic meters of water of the 84 billion estimated cubic meters of water the Nile produces every year to Egypt.

โ€จNatural Resources Law Lecturer with Tumaini University Makumira, Elifuraha Laltaika suggests a balance between rights of the local population and a need to expand the Serengeti National Park.

“Eviction should be the last resort, after authorities have provided the community with alternative land and other social amenities. With political will, this is doable given the indisputable importance of conserving the Serengeti and its natural wonders for generations yet to come.” Mr. Laltaika says.

The document, however, points out that the decision constitutes a directive from the President, Jakaya Kikwete.

Laws of Tanzania allow the president, with consultation from the parliament, to declare any area of the country into a national park.
Upon such declaration, all rights come to an end, because no human habitation is allowed in a national park.

Initially, the law permitted human habitation in game controlled areas, a conservation status to which the Ghuba Speke belong. However, following enactment of a new wildlife conservation Act in 2009, settlements have been outlawed in all wildlife conservation areas namely national parks, game controlled areas and game reserves.

This may therefore mean that Tanzania could use the wildlife conservation Act of 2009, in particular its provisions that prohibit settlements in the game controlled areas to relocate the population.

(end of part two)

Serengeti Wildlife to access Lake Victoria’s water as climate change looms large

Lake-Victoria
Lake-Victoria
Avatar of Nell Alcantara
Written by Nell Alcantara

ARUSHA, TANZANIA (eTN) – Tanzania is struggling, amid protests from within, to revive a defunct wildlife corridor linking the flagship Serengeti National park with Lake Victoria, as it seeks alternati

ARUSHA, TANZANIA (eTN) – Tanzania is struggling, amid protests from within, to revive a defunct wildlife corridor linking the flagship Serengeti National park with Lake Victoria, as it seeks alternative sources of water for animals.

An imminent plan, which is seen as urgent as climate change looms large, will see Ghuba Speke game controlled area with 129 sq km in Bunda district, which consists of the corridor, integrated into Serengeti, in an effort to enable wildlife access Lake Victoria water.
The state says that the Worldโ€™s second largest water body, is the only reliable alternative drinking water for millions of thirsty wildlife, in the wake of climate change that has affected the greater Mara River and other sources of waters within the vital Serengeti-Maasai Mara ecosystem.

In a document seen by this reporter the state says that the corridor is critical, as it will not only provide wild animals freedom to enjoy a permanent source of water, but also balance the Serengeti – Maasai Mara ecosystem.

“Wildlife and the environment will be well conserved due to separation of human and conservation activities. Wild animals will also acquire permanent source of water, thus enhance the Serengeti – Maasai Mara ecosystem”, the document reads in part.

The process, however, will see relocation of nearly 8,000 occupants in three villages of Serengeti, Nyatwari and Tamau located within the Ghuba Speke game controlled area to pave way for the crucial wildlife restoration.

The state argues that the initiative will stimulate economy as expansion of Serengeti is expected to open up more investment prospects in areas of tourism, hence help to create a number of opportunities in Bunda District and the region as a whole.

In addition, the state says the wildlife corridor renewal will also end human-wildlife conflicts, as residents within the corridor will be free from constant attacks by wild animals that destroy their crops en-route to Lake Victoria in search of drinking water.

The plan is also expected to reduce rampant poaching in western Serengeti where Director General of Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Allan Kijazi, says between 200 and 300 wildebeests are slaughtered annually.โ€จโ€จโ€œThis is the minimum figure, but the number can even be higher. We are worried that if this trend goes unabated the wildlife survival would be in great risk,โ€ Mr Kijazi noted.โ€จโ€จUnited Nations Conservation Programme (UNEP) and World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), report indicates the figure of various animals killed annually in western Serengeti is high as 200,000.

The document says the rise in demand for meat has also been partly driven by the growing local population. Official statistics show the Serengeti Parkโ€™s sprawling western boundary is densely settled by farmers and herders with number being estimated at 3,329,199 in 2011.โ€จโ€จAs a consequence, agriculture has encroached on the parkโ€™s boundaries and former subsistence poaching has now become large- scale and commercial.

(end of part one)

About the author

Avatar of Nell Alcantara

Nell Alcantara

Share to...