Government Unveils Strategies to Address Menace of Rogue Wildlife

The government, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, has outlined various strategies to address the challenge of rogue and destructive wildlife in various parts of the country, including the Mbarali District.

 This includes the implementation of the National Strategy for Resolving Human-Wildlife Conflicts (2020-2024), the Elephant Management and Conservation Strategy (2023-2033), and the Wildlife Corridor Rescue Action Plan (2022-2026).

Speaking at the Parliament in Dodoma on May 2, 2024, the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Angellah Kairuki, highlighted steps taken to combat the menace of rogue wildlife, particularly elephants. 

These measures include conducting patrols to control rogue and destructive wildlife, establishing conservation officer stations, and providing training in elephant-friendly techniques for 1,626 instructors from 28 districts facing significant challenges from rogue wildlife.

Furthermore, the ministry has been providing education to communities, with 2,053 individuals from five villages in the Mbarali District receiving training on dealing with elephant encounters. Additionally, 41 instructors from these villages have been trained in elephant-friendly techniques in collaboration with conservation stakeholders.

To enhance community involvement in conservation efforts, the ministry has trained 882 Village Game Scouts on conservation and techniques for dealing with rogue wildlife. Collaboration with research institutes has resulted in fitting 157 elephants with GPS satellite collars across five ecological systems to monitor their movements and mitigate conflicts.

The minister emphasized the government's commitment to continuing efforts to address rogue wildlife, including the allocation of funds for purchasing three helicopters to facilitate the relocation of elephants back to protected areas. In Mbarali District, three elephants are scheduled to be fitted with collars on May 8 and 9, 2024, for monitoring purposes.

In conclusion, Minister Kairuki assured Members of Parliament that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism will continue to acquire equipment and resources to effectively manage human-wildlife conflicts and safeguard both communities and wildlife.