Tanzania Leads in Lions, Buffaloes, and Leopards in Africa

The government has announced that Tanzania leads in having the most lions, buffaloes, and leopards in the African continent while holding the third position for having a large number of elephants.

This was stated today, April 22, 2024, during a meeting where the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Angellah Kairuki, officially announced the results of the Wildlife Census and launched the report on International Tourists who visited Tanzania in 2023.

The wildlife census was conducted by TAWIRI in collaboration with TANAPA, TAWA, NCAA, the Wildlife Department, and the Frankfurt Zoological Society in the ecosystems of Nyerere-Selous-Mikumi, Saadani-Wamimbiki, and Serengeti.

The meeting involved conservation and tourism stakeholders, where Kairuki said the government has already allocated funds for conducting a nationwide wildlife census early next year.

Furthermore, Kairuki said the results of this census will aid in wildlife management in the country and planning various initiatives to enhance conservation and promote tourism globally.

Kairuki called on all stakeholders to collaborate with the government, directing the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) to prepare a work plan for the next census while also instructing her ministry's executives to analyze the results of this census thoroughly for effective outcomes.

Regarding the wildlife census report, she said species showing large numbers include buffaloes (59,878), elephants (20,006), wildebeests (19,060), hartebeests (18,361), impalas (14,031), and warthogs (13,806), while species showing low numbers include giraffes (1,679), greater kudu (1,414), and bushbucks (496).

She elaborated that for elephants, the population has increased from 15,501 (2018) to 20,006 (2022), and indicators of elephant poaching or elephant deaths have significantly decreased to 0.8% in 2022 compared to 16% during the 2018 census.

Discussing the report on International Tourists who visited Tanzania in 2023, she said the Tourism Sector is among the crucial sectors in the global economy and has continued to improve after being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the global tourism sector improved by 88% compared to the peak reached in 2019.

"For Tanzania, international tourism improved by 118.4% in 2023 compared to the pre-COVID-19 peak. Additionally, the number of international tourists increased from 1.4 million in 2022 to 1.8 million in 2023, representing a 24.3% increase," she added.

"We must acknowledge the significant work done by Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, who promoted Tanzania through the film 'Tanzania the Royal Tour'," she emphasized.

Recognizing the importance of the tourism sector in the country, the government, in collaboration with stakeholders, conducted research on tourists leaving the country in 2023 to gather information for policy-making and development planning in tourism. Additionally, the research findings assist the government in preparing national accounts and balance of payments.

She also said that tourism revenue increased by 33.5% to $3.4 billion in 2023 from $2.5 billion in 2022, and the average tourist expenditure per day in the United Republic of Tanzania increased to $250 in 2023 from an average of $214 in 2022.

For Zanzibar, the average tourist expenditure per day was $257 in 2023 compared to $218 in 2022.