Tanzania’s wildlife population rebounds amid anti-poaching success
Dar es Salaam. The government said yesterday that the populations of black rhinos and elephants have rebounded significantly as anti-poaching campaigns pay off.
The number of black rhinos, an endangered species, has increased from 163 in 2019 to 238 in 2022, surpassing the target of having 205 rhinos by the end of 2023, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Mohamed Mchengerwa, said.
Presenting his ministry’s budget in Parliament, Mr Mchengerwa said the elephant population also increased from 43,330 in 2014 to 60,000 last year.
As a result, Tanzania currently boasts Africa’s third-highest elephant population.
“Wildlife security reports indicate that no elephant deaths have resulted from poaching between July 2022 and April 2023,” he said.
He added that anti-poaching campaigns were boosted by efforts to control illegal wildlife trade, illegal logging, and encroachment in protected areas.
“This is a clear indication that poaching is dropping in Tanzania,” he said.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), black rhinos and elephants remain critically endangered species because of the demand for their horns and tusks in the illegal international market.
WWF says poaching for the illegal trade is the greatest and deadliest threat to these species, as the horns and tusks are traded to be used for traditional medicine and increasingly as a status symbol to display success and wealth.
According to Mr Mchengerwa, the conservation efforts remain evident as the country accommodates the largest populations of lions and giraffes at 14,912 and 24,000, respectively.
“12,058 poaching suspects have been apprehended, and the minister has conducted special intelligence operations enabling the prevention of poaching and illegal harvesting of forest resources,” he said.