Tanzania

WCS in Tanzania
Tanzania has unparalleled wildlife, environment and natural resources. Sitting on the crossroads of many of the extensive biomes that cover Africa, it also boasts the highest and lowest points on the continent – the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the bottom of Lake Tanganyika. While recognized for its unmatched concentrations of large herbivores, the remarkable diversity of habitats from coral reefs to montane forests combine to make Tanzania a ‘megadiversity’ country and the richest on the continent for biodiversity.

WCS has been working in Tanzania for 50 years to help safeguard this unique global heritage. More than 130 projects have been supported, encompassing training, research, monitoring, institutional support, education, and the gazettement and extension of Tarangire, Ruaha, Serengeti and Kitulo National Parks. In 2006 and in recognition of the conservation importance of Tanzania, WCS began a new era with the launching of its first cohesive country program. The mission will be to  manage a portoflio of projects, guide future development, and define and update strategy within Tanzania. At the same time, WCS aims to build on its traditional strengths including a focus on fieldwork, strong science, and robust community and government partnerships.

The Human Aspect
WCS recognizes the intrinsic link between the environment and sustainable development, and that species, ecosystems and landscapes must be managed by maintaining an equilibrium between human and conservation needs. Rural communities around protected areas need support in the management of natural resources, so that they can receive benefits from conservation, protect water and fuel supplies and better manage human-animal conflicts. WCS in Tanzania is helping to develop community-based initiatives through which local people will benefit from key habitats, and thus have an interest in their long-term survival and integrity. WCS is equally committed to supporting government and non-government institutions manage and monitor key landscapes and species.

Threats

There are many issues that affect conservation in Tanzania. These include extreme poverty, limited education possibilities, human and wildlife health concerns, population growth, sustainable development pressures, limited land use planning at a landscape level, modest technical and financial resources. WCS strives to engage these key issues in its conservation work.

WCS Activities 
The WCS Tanzania Program employs 51 Tanzanian and 6 expatriate staff and has offices in Arusha, Iringa, Mbeya (with Dar es Salaam and Sumbawanga to follow). WCS operates three site-based programs in the Southern Highlands, the Tarangire-Simanjiro Ecosystem, and the Greater Ruaha Landscape. Furthermore, there are research projects in Serengeti, Zanzibar, Rukwa, and the Indian Ocean reefs as well as projects ifocusing on Avian Influenza and country-wide support of the WCS Tanzania Key Species Program. There are also regional Aerial Services and GIS/Remote Sensing programs. WCS provides technical and financial support to the Tanzanian Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST), Tanzanian students, the Tanzanian Natural Resources Forum (TNRF) and other local NGOs.

The Southern Highlands Conservation Program – based in Mbeya – helps conserve key upland habitats (e.g. Mt Rungwe, Kitulo, Livingstones, Mbizi) and endangered species (e.g. Abbott’s duiker, the kipunji, orchids, chimpanzees, carnivores) across Tanzania’s Southern Highlands between Lakes Nyasa (Malawi) and Tanganyika. This is achieved through a variety of research, protected area design and management, education and community conservation initiatives.

The Tarangire Elephant Project – based in Tarangire and Arusha - uses research and capacity building to ensure that local communities, TANAPA and other stakeholders have the information and resources needed to sustainably manage and benefit from the Tarangire-Simanjiro Ecosystem. The project also aims to assure the conservation of its ecological processes and key wildlife migration routes.

The Ruaha Landscape Conservation Program – based in Lunda and Iringa - works with a variety of stakeholders to help conserve one of Tanzania largest and wildest areas; these include local communities, TANAPA, the Wildlife Division, local authorities, national and international institutions and organizations. Focusing at the landscape level, the program is particularly involved in community support, water sustainability, wildlife health and research. 

The Tanzania Carnivore Program – based at TAWIRI in Arusha - aims to develop national capacity to monitor carnivore distributions, track populations, identify and respond to critical threats, and promote broad-scale conservation strategies to protect healthy, ecologically intact ecosystems. Evolving from the Tanzania Cheetah Project which was initiated in the Serengeti, it is now a national program targeting cheetahs. A new development is the Tanzania Mammal Atlas Project which extends the carnivore activities to include all medium to large mammals.

The Zanzibar Forest Conservation Program – based in Jozani – began as a research project focusing on the endemic red colobus monkey. It now works alongside the Zanzibar government and conservation partners developing management strategies for Zanzibar’s unique coastal forests.

Next steps
·      The new WCS Tanzania Program will use science, education, innovation and training to provide information, resources and human capitol to manage - and derive sustainable benefits from - Tanzania’s unparalleled wildlife and natural resources.