By ADAM IHUCHA
--- Hundreds of wildebeest have died in Mara River as they
attempt to cross from Serengeti national park in Tanzania into Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya to fulfill their annual migration loop.
The
mass wildebeest deaths have alarmed conservationists and triggered
investigations, but the exact cause of the mysterious die-offs remains
unknown.
Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA)’s Principal ecologist, Dr James
Wakibara told The Empire Voice in an interview that they have deployed
veterinaries in Serengeti to investigate the mass wildebeest deaths.
“Though we believe this is a natural deaths, but scientifically, we have
to prove. So we are waiting findings from the veterinaries who have been
deployed in Serengeti to verify” Dr Wakibara explains.
The incident has rekindled a sad memories of the worst catastrophe occurred
in 2007, where nearly 10,000
wildebeest died in a mass drowning in Mara river.
In an earlier statement TANAPA confirmed the tragedy that occurred on September
27, saying the mass wildebeest deaths in Mara River could be a natural
phenomenon.
Spectacular wildebeest migration is an annual
natural phenomenon which takes place between Serengeti and Maasai Mara Game
Reserve, where up to two millions animals mostly wildebeest and zebra move in a
clockwise rotational route determined by the availability
of grazing and water.
TANAPA’s spokesperson, Pascal Shelutete says during
the migration a number of catastrophes occur, including disease, predation and accidents,
which put the livelihood of migrating animals at high risk.
“Drowning in Mara River is one of the occurrences
during the migration in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem and it is estimated that
more than 250,000 wildebeest die during the journey” Mr Shelutete says in a
statement.
Other causes of deaths include stampede and other
predators, he further says.
However, wildebeest deaths during migration are
replenished with more than 350,000 births per year, TANAPA says.
“In view of the above,
TANAPA would like to inform the public that the deaths are purely natural and
not much could be done to prevent” Mr Shelutete explains
He adds, in the national parks and
other protected areas, nature is always left to take its own course.
From the
sprawling Serengeti plains to the champagne-colored hills of Kenya’s
Masai Mara, over 1.4 million wildebeests, 200,000 zebra and gazelle,
relentlessly tracked by Africa’s great predators, migrate in a
clockwise fashion over 1,800 miles each year in search of rain-ripened grass.
There is no real beginning or end to a wildebeest's journey. Its life is an endless pilgrimage, a constant search for food and water.
The only beginning is at the moment
of birth. Estimated 350,000 wildebeest calves are born during a
six-week period each year - usually between late January and mid-March.
Planet’s remaining largest
wildlife migration – the annual loop of two
million wildebeest across the Serengeti and Maasai Mara
reserve – is a key tourist allure, generating multi-million-dollars
annually.
The habitual migration -
has occurred without interruption for thousands of years.
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.
Activists
Serengeti Preservation Foundation
(SPF) executive director, Meyasi Mollel says that ecologists and stakeholders
who love Serengeti-Mara ecosystem to partner and make thorough investigation
and come up with scientific report on the real cause of the mass wildebeest
deaths.
“The mass wildebeest deaths shouldn’t
be taken for granted. Ecologists should investigate and come up with scientific
findings” explains Mr Mollel, one of green activists in Tanzania.
He urged the forthcoming government
to revise the law that cut back the conservation budget by 40 percent.
The natural resources-rich country
has just set a 60 percent limit on expenditure for the self-reliant public
corporations, hitting hard the conservation agencies, in the face
of deadly poaching threat.
A just amended Treasury Registrar
(Power and Functions) Act, Cap 370, has added a section 10A (1) in a bid
to impose a limit for the running overheads of the corporations, which, are not
financed through the government budget.
Now, the operation costs of the
self-financing public corporations are restricted not to exceed 60 percent of
their annual gross revenue in any financial year.
Moreover, the revised law demands a
70 percent of their balance obtained after deducting the operative expenses
permissible in subsection (1) to be remitted to the consolidated fund.
Finance Minister, Ms Saada Mkuya says
the idea behind the amendments is to make money - making public corporations to
significantly contribute to the consolidated fund.
“We also want to put in place
procedures that will regulate expenditure,” Ms Mkuya explains.
Though the law seems to target all
public corporations, in reality it eyes Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) and
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA).
These are the only self-sufficient
corporations, as they collect entry fees from tourists and hotels concession
dues.
Others like Tanzania Tourists
Board (TTB), Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO), Air Tanzania
Company Limited(ATCL), Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL), State-Mining
Corporation (STAMICO), National Development Corporation (NDC), Tanzania
Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) are reliant on the treasury’s
subsidies.
However, conservationists say that
should the law enforced it will compromise conservation and frustrate efforts
on war against poaching, as it will take away the much-needed resources to
finance the two crucial activities.
For instance, Tanapa Director
general, Mr Allan Kijazi says that conservation activities alone consume 70
percent of the agency’s Tsh 150 billion ($75 million) gross revenue annually.
The remaining 30 percent goes to pay
wages for its 2,190 workers, facilitate development of tourism products and
services, maintain about 7,000 km of roads, 16 airstrips, pay tourism
development levy and other taxes.
Truly, Tanapa is charged
with conservation of eco-systems and tourism development in 16 national
parks, covering nearly 57,024 square kilometres, an area bigger than
Burundi.
Nature-based or wildlife tourism is the main source of income that is ploughed back for management, regulation and fulfillment of all organisational mandates in the national parks.
“Going by the overheads ceiling, our conservation budget would shrink from 70 to somewhere around 30 percent of our gross revenue because other expenses like wages and taxes are fixed” Mr Kijazi says.
Nature-based or wildlife tourism is the main source of income that is ploughed back for management, regulation and fulfillment of all organisational mandates in the national parks.
“Going by the overheads ceiling, our conservation budget would shrink from 70 to somewhere around 30 percent of our gross revenue because other expenses like wages and taxes are fixed” Mr Kijazi says.
To make the matters worse, he argues, only Kilimanjaro and
Serengeti national parks are generating a surplus to run other 11 parks.
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