Saadani National Park

Aliens acting in collaboration with local associates to rob the country of its natural resources supply bullets for poaching in Tanzania’s only coastal wildlife sanctuary, Saadani National Park in Bagamoyo district, Coast region.

Clandestine manufacture and supply of muzzle guns (gobole) is reportedly being of a sophisticated pattern such that ordinary bullets are now loaded resulting into devastating effects to enrich sponsors of such illegal operations.

Mr Ahmed Mbugi, the Good Neighbourhood Programme Manager from Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) says residents in villages around national parks are essential partners in control of poaching of the wildlife and conservation of the environment.

“TANAPA works out plans to enhance shared information with local communities and the arrangement has been rewarding, leading to seizure and arrest of poachers in national parks,” Mbugi explains.

The management reciprocates through support of community development projects, he said during interview in a recent visit to Saadani National Park, organized through Support for Community Initiative Projects (SCIP).

The uniqueness of Saadani National Park being the only park in East Africa that provides the perfect union of beach and bush has also become an ‘ideal’ location for poachers to strike and quickly disappear in both engine powered marine vessels and dhows.

The Wami river, which passes through Saadani National Park and empties into the Indian Ocean, invites a large population of hippos, crocodiles, flamingos and many large bird species.

Elephants are often viewed bathing and playing on Saadani beach especially in the early hours of the morning. Rare species like Roosevelt sable antelope are found in the area. The green turtle find the beach areas the ideal locations for breeding.

Mr Hassan Nguluma, the Saadani Chief Park Warden, says the long chase last month made possible the arrest of two notorious poachers who confessed to have been hired by aliens. “On that particular day I convened a meeting with game rangers to deliberate on concrete strategies to stop poaching in the real sense of the term.

No sooner had I opened the meeting at around 10:00am than a powerful gunshot went off in the bush,” Nguluma explained. He added; “We called off the meeting and I was dressed up in combat uniform and rushed to the bush chasing the poachers.

Information provided by local residents about spotting the poachers was extremely useful.” It was raining heavily, he added, and perhaps poachers took advantage of the weather condition.

“We seriously tracked them down with clear understanding that they were heavily armed but not afraid of them. They were four in number but finally two were arrested and two others escaped,” he recalled.

It was discovered that the kind of guns used were modified muzzle guns using ordinary bullets supplied by illegal dealers said to be based outside the country. The shipment is done through unauthorized routes.

During recent coastal surveillance operation led by the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Ezekiel Maige, the leader of the National Forest Law Enforcement Unit, Mr Hajanson Mloge, informed that there were more than 100 unauthorized outlets/docking locations (bandari bubu) along the coastline of Tanzania.

The minister underscored the need for deployment of patrol speed boats, trained anti-poaching personnel and community sensitization on the protection of the wildlife and conservation of the environment.

On the significance of participatory approach in the management of the resources for efficient use, Mr Maige said protection of natural resources was everyone’s concern. “In protecting forest resources, for example, several other services are derived from the sector.

These include pasture for livestock, raw materials for industries and protection of watersheds,” Mr Maige explained. He added: “Forests provide source of water for irrigation, generation of electricity, environmental protection, control of soil erosion and nutrients.

This shows how different stakeholders can contribute to address the challenges. We can stop poaching, we can stop deforestation through collective approach,” Maige said.

Mr Nguluma recalled yet another incident near Mkwaja village whereby three boys were found in the evening walking comfortably past the national park. They held a matchbox as a weapon.

“Asked about the risk of meeting fierce wild animals, the boys just smiled and said they would quickly light fire to scare the animals away and let the fire burn uncontrollably,” Nguluma sadly remembered.

Saadani National Park is 1,100 sq km (430 sq miles with) in size. Herds of up to 30 elephants are encountered with increasing frequency, and several lion prides are resident, together with leopards, spotted hyena and black-backed jackal.

On game drives and walks wide range of grazers and primates are seen, among them giraffe, buffalo, warthog, common water buck, reedbuck, hartebeest, wildebeest, red duiker, greater kudu, eland, sable antelope, yellow baboon and velvet monkey.

By BILHAM KIMATI, Tanzania Daily News

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