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As we recognize the 2nd National Wildlife Corridor Forum, wildlife experts globally have fears about the future of wildlife corridors for wildlife connectivity. Plus, wildlife experts are using different approaches to develop new strategies in line with contemporary challenges to secure wildlife corridors.
On December 5th and 6th, 2024, Arusha will host the 2nd National Wildlife Corridor Forum, a pivotal event bringing together stakeholders to discuss the future of Tanzania’s wildlife corridors. Organized under the auspices of the multi-sectoral Wildlife Corridor Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister’s Office, the forum underscores Tanzania’s commitment to preserving its ecological connectivity while addressing challenges posed by habitat fragmentation and human-wildlife conflict. This week, it will be the 2nd year since the National Wildlife Corridor Forum was established in Tanzania by conservation organizations in collaboration with the relevant government ministries led by the Prime Minister’s Office. The forum, initially created to raise awareness of the importance of wildlife corridors and share experiences, the observance has lately become a rallying point to push toward the goal of ending habitat and corridor loss as a wildlife threat by 2030. But this year, this week is more likely to serve as a warning that the goal is about to slip out of reach if the speed of restoration continues at the same pace.
Wildlife Corridors: A Lifeline for Biodiversity
Wildlife corridors play a crucial role in sustaining ecosystems, enabling species to move freely between habitats. This is especially vital in a country like Tanzania, home to iconic species such as African elephants, lions, and wild dogs. Corridors not only ensure genetic diversity but also mitigate the effects of habitat loss caused by human activities.
The forum aligns with global conservation priorities outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Target 2 of the GBF emphasizes the restoration of 30% of degraded ecosystems and securing biodiversity-rich areas like wildlife corridors. By addressing these priorities, Tanzania is reinforcing its role as a leader in conservation on the African continent.
One key challenge to maintaining wildlife corridors is the rising incidence of human-wildlife conflict (HWC). Communities living near these corridors often face crop destruction, livestock predation, and even threats to human safety. The forum will explore innovative approaches to reduce conflicts, including community-based conservation initiatives, fencing, and improved land-use planning. The goal is to harmonize human livelihoods with wildlife conservation.
Big gaps persist: By 2023, over 60% of corridors had been either lost or are seriously encroached despite the availability of effective wildlife policies and recognition of wildlife-based tourism a leading source foreign income, contributing about 17% to the GDP according to the National wildlife corridor_assessment_report. An estimated over 2 million wildlife population that is affected is not accessing the critical lifesaving dispersal areas.
Ongoing politicization, limited benefits from natural resources, perceived historical injustices and increasing land sensitivity are only making those gaps worse. As an example, some leaders at the village level point to the fact that Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) do not generate benefits and yet they are critical wildlife corridors and dispersal areas. In those villages, human-wildlife conflict incidences are four times higher than in villages without that are not directly in the wildlife corridors.
“When we continue the way we are now, we will not be able to reach our target, and we will end up with a much, much higher number of people affected by human-wildlife conflict … long after 2030 [that] we will all collectively have to be responsible for and need to take care of,” warns Noah Sitati, a WWF Tanzania SOKNOT Tanzania Lead.
But the goodwill from the government is evident to deliver on its commitments to bring down legal and policy barriers that enable this. The appointment of a sectoral committee under the Prime Minister’s Office is a clear testimony of the importance of the role of each sector towards securing wildlife corridors and the habitats. And the relentless marketing of Tanzania as a tourist destination through the Royal Tour championed by the President of Tanzania is bearing fruits after witnessing a surge in tourist arrivals. According to Bot Tanzania, In 2022, Tanzania recorded 1,454,920 international tourist arrivals, a significant increase of 57.7% compared to 922,692 in 2021. Earnings from tourism also rose from $1.31 billion in 2021 to $2.53 billion in 2022. In 2023, the number of international arrivals reached 1,808,205, reflecting a 24.3% increase from 2022. Correspondingly, tourism earnings grew to $3.4 billion in 2023, a remarkable achievement as the sector continued to recover post-pandemic. With a projected tourism numbers reaching 5 million by 2025, local communities are likely to see the benefits of tourism and support conservation initiatives.
Dr. Pindi Hazara Chana, the Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism voices concern that this threat should be prioritized to safeguard the wildlife population that is dwindling due to many anthropogenic activities and natural phenomenon like unpredictable weather patterns like frequent and prolonged drought due to climate change. This could have national and regional consequences, especially with transboundary corridors.
This forum comes on the heels of two significant international conservation events:
- CITES CoP19 in Baku (2023): Focused on sustainable wildlife trade and ensuring legal frameworks for protecting species that traverse international boundaries. The discussions in Baku underscored the need for cross-border cooperation in managing wildlife corridors.
- CMS CoP14 in Cali (2024): Highlighted the importance of migratory species and connectivity across landscapes. The resolutions adopted in Cali resonate with Tanzania’s efforts to secure wildlife corridors, particularly for migratory species like elephants that require vast, uninterrupted landscapes.
The forum will foster dialogue among government ministries, conservation organizations, private sector, local communities, and international partners. By integrating the expertise of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) and aligning with global conservation frameworks, Tanzania is setting a precedent for addressing habitat connectivity at both national and regional levels.
As we look to the future, the outcomes of this forum could serve as a blueprint for other countries facing similar challenges, proving that sustainable development and biodiversity conservation can go hand in hand. Together, we can secure the natural pathways that wildlife depends on, ensuring a thriving coexistence between people and nature.
These meetings in Dar es Salaam marked significant progress in forest landscape restoration, fostering collaboration among various stakeholders and setting the stage for continued efforts to restore Africa's vital ecosystems. The collective commitment to sustainable forest management and restoration initiatives is a promising step towards achieving the ambitious goals set by the WWF FLR in Africa Initiative and the AFR100 Initiative, ensuring a healthier planet and prosperous communities across the continent.
