ENHANCED EFFORTS TO END GIRAFFE KILLINGS

 

BY GRACE MACHA IN ARUSHA

Efforts are being enhanced to end wanton killings of giraffes, a national symbol.

Game rangers, police and lawyers have teamed up to save the extinction of the long-necked animal from the protected sites in Manyara region.

The drive will extend to other threatened animals in the wildlife-rich Burunge corridor sandwiched between two national parks.

The Manyara Regional Crimes Officer (RCO) Juma Majura said the police force is forced to intervene given the gravity of the situation.

He was speaking at the recent pass out of game rangers trained on new anti-poaching tactics.

"It is now pertinent that we cooperate with the game rangers and the villagers to contain poaching", he said.

Also to be roped in are lawyers from the Office of Public Prosecutors, he said at the end of the training stint at the Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

Although being one of the most successful, community-managed protection sites, the facility is under siege from the game poachers.

Among the animals targeted for killing for their trophies at the  283 square km site are giraffes, Tanzania's national symbol.

The increased poaching incidents recently saw two people arrested for alleged selling of giraffe meat after mowing down the animal.

According to the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), the giraffe population in Tanzania has dwindled to 33,000 in 2019, more than twice that number decades ago.

Given that scenario, giraffes have now been upgraded from the threatened to endangered animal by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

Statistics released years ago, showed that about 2,000 tonnes of ill-gotten bush meat valued at $50million is seized in Tanzania annually. 

Giraffe flesh has lately become very popular in the bush meat markets in the northern regions although it is illegal.

Records at  Manyara Regional Police Commander's Office say some 260 kilograms of giraffe meat were impounded in the area between January to March last year.

And a recent survey in Arusha city indicated that although  bushmeat is traded and consumed locally there is a considerable market in Kenya and that this involved giraffe meat.

There had been increased incidences of killing of giraffes in the protected area for game meat trade.

A fortnight ago, two people were arrested for alleged selling of giraffe meat after mowing down the animal.

The 283 square km Burunge WMA is sandwiched between the Tarangire and Lake Manyara national parks.

The protected area is managed by the local communities and was formed by ten villages around Lake Burunge.

Officials managing the WMA claim that despite numerous arrests of poaching suspects, they are often set free under unclear circumstances.

The just-ended training stint for the rangers from the Burunge WMA and Babati district council was conducted by officers from the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA).

Addressing the newly graduated trainees, a prosecutor from TAWA Ms Gertrude Kariongi and Blandina Msawa from the Office of Public Prosecutor  urged the rangers to work professionally.

Ms Karongi insisted that once arrested the poaching suspects should be immediately arraigned to face the wrath of law.

"Their cases should  be fast-tracked and rulings made without much delay", she pointed out, noting that other animals other than giraffes were also targeted by the poachers.

On her part, Ms Msawa called on the game rangers to speed up investigations once the suspects are arrested.

The training was conducted by TAWA in collaboration with the Chem Chem Association which operates in the area and is fully engaged in anti-poaching.

Officer in charge of TAWA in the northern zone regions, Emmanuel Pius noted that the training was aimed to increase the capacity of the rangers in investigations and prosecution.

Chem Chem Association and EBN director NIcolas Negri expressed his desire to continue fighting poachers in order to safeguard the nation's natural heritage.

Speaking during the close of the training,Chem Chem Association manager Clever Zulu said the rangers have been trained in investigations,mopping up operations and apprehending of the suspected poachers so that the cases are fast-tracked.