|
Write to: The Editor, Arusha Times, P.O. Box 212, Arusha.
E-mail:
arushatimes@habari.co.tz
mailbag1
Hope for Tanzania’s Lions!
I am writing in response to an article that appeared in the Arusha Times last
week: “King of the jungle in jeopardy.” I would like to thank the author and
your newspaper for bringing lion conservation to the public’s attention in
Tanzania!
I would also like to help clarify some of the information provided, particularly
regarding the status of lions in and around Tarangire National Park. My comments
are based on a study I conducted between 2002 and 2005 on the Tarangire lions
and their relationships with the sport hunting, photographic tourism and Maasai
communities, published as a Ph.D. dissertation at Yale University in the U.S. in
2005.
Determining the number of lions in any ecosystem is tricky business. The article
notes that a 2003-2005 study reported that “there were only 201 lions at the
park.” I think most lion scientists would agree that determining the exact
number of lions in most ecosystems is virtually impossible. You just can’t count
every individual. Realistically, we don’t actually know how many lions are in
Tarangire National Park. In fact, some of these lions leave the park in the wet
season, following their prey toward the Simanjiro plains. While I am reluctant
to give numbers, my estimates of densities in three different areas in and
outside of the park suggest that there are roughly between 450 and 625 lions
moving within the entire Tarangire ecosystem (12,000 km2).
In terms of lions killed outside the park by local villagers, it should be
clarified that at least four lions are killed yearly in each village (not
monthly as was reported), resulting in nearly 50 to 60 deaths per year in the 12
villages. And in fact, the numbers may be slightly higher. However, this
information should be put in perspective. How do local lion killings effect the
overall lion population? While indeed a problem, my data show that Maasai
killing of lions outside the eastern boundary of Tarangire National Park is only
responsible for 6.4% to 8.8% of overall annual lion mortality. Because lions
reproduce quickly and have large litters, they can support mortality rates of up
to 20-30%, though the lower the better. It is also unlikely that local killing
of lions is having a destabilizing effect on the large lion population of
Serengeti National Park, though all northern zone parks were reported to be
threatened. In truth, Maasai tolerance of lions, in the face of constant
livestock predation, is an important part of the reason why lions are still
found outside of northern Tanzania’s national parks! Meanwhile, habitat loss and
declining prey populations are taking their toll on available lion range and
numbers.
Finally, I was disturbed that licensed hunters (presumably sport hunters?) were
regarded in the same light as poachers, “danc[ing] to the tune, as they
anticipate their next massacre.” To the contrary, I found that sport hunters
have an important respect and admiration for lions. And, it should be noted that
the incredible mass of land set aside for sport hunting in Tanzania is critical
for protecting important lion habitat from conversion to other land uses. For
example, when analyzing the effect of hunting on lions outside Tarangire
National Park, I found that areas exclusively set aside for sport hunting
supported higher densities of lions than those that included local villages.
The article did highlight some of the important issues facing lions in Tanzania
– poaching (particularly of prey populations), environmental degradation and
change, habitat loss, and yes, in some cases, the combined effects of licensed
hunting and local retaliation against livestock predators. These are all issues
that need to be addressed. But rather than sensationalizing the information, it
would have been helpful to provide this material in a context that also gives
some hope. Tanzania is home to nearly half of all of Africa’s remaining lions.
If we can find lasting solutions to lion conservation in Tanzania, we will not
only safeguard a significant population of lions, but we will also provide the
rest of the continent with an important model. That would certainly be something
the public could be proud of!
Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld
Executive Director, People & Predators Fund
Member of the African Lion Working Group
Dr. Lichtenfeld’s full report is available on the publications page of the
People & Predators Fund’s website
www.people-predators.org .
mailbag2
 |
| Hundreds of garage operators awaiting to be allocated plots of
land at Suye after being ordered out of roadsides int her
municipality. Not only have they been allocated the valley that
was earmarked for them but have demarcated plots up Suye hill. |
Plunder of Suye: What a shame!
Dear editor.
I read with interest the article in issue no.00435 of September 2-8, 2006
entitled ‘Suye.!
No way.”
I know the area which Municipal fathers are crying fo . It is an open area not
far from the Town Centre. It lies approximately opposite to Masai Camping site
and between two academic institutions which are
Suye Primary School and Kilimanjaro International Information Technology
College, A very modern information technology centre in East Africa. In fact,
Suye primary school lies within the subject
area.
The neighboring area is developing into middle and high class residential area,
with tourist hotels and camping sites near by. It is a beautiful unpolluted area
of Arusha.
The Municipal fathers seem not to be aware of this. They have decided to remove
small scale garages from the town centre claiming that the garages make the town
filthy thus jeopardizing its efforts to be
elevated into a city , and dump them in this beautiful area. Instead of cleaning
the town they are actually polluting new areas. This is ridiculous.!!
No one has even considered the effect of such garages in the learning
environment like this one. In my opinion , the area should be maintained for
further development for a school, Police post etc. I
believe that the people in that area need a secondary school at the site and not
garages. I understand that in the council there are Professional Town planners
who know how to separate unrelated
land uses. They must advise the council about this. They know vividly that
academics, and residential uses cannot mixed with garages and yet the keep their
mouths shut.
On the other hand I concur with garage operators that car owners cannot drive
all the way to Suye for repairs. There are special areas for such business where
the Municipal Fathers could
think of before polluting Institutional areas like Suye grounds. I know SIDO
Industrial area, Unga Limited etc .
Further, who said that garages are the ones which are killing Arusha City
status? How about timber shops along all major roads? How about filthy condemned
houses from Ngarenaro to Shamsi area?
How about street lights which were put on only when former President of USA Mr
Clinton visited Arusha? I know there are so many criteria for a town to become a
city. .Arusha doesn’t qualify at all. Besides a
town or City cannot be created from the office desk. They normally grow from one
stage to another, basically naturally.Otherwise creating a city from the office
desk is another joke like moving garages to Suye. Lets stop endless jokes and
work a bit more seriously.
Paul Sarvot
Arusha
mailbag3
Religious leaders, why don’t you pray for Taifa Stars
Dear Editor,
We have seen politicians, business people, fans and other people visiting the
Taifa Stars camp while
preparing for the African Cup of Nations qualifying matches, but the most
important people in our society
religious people, have not been visiting the camp. I don’t think religious
leaders should ignore this team
at this important time. I would like to ask religious leaders including sheikhs,
pastors, bishops just to mention a few to also make an effort of visiting our
national team during training. They should give advise and even conduct short
prayers for the team. This will as well be a big contribution to the team just
like those who give money and many other things. I would like to finish by
telling my fellow Tanzanian to show great support to the team all the time and
especially during matches because support gives extra strength to the players.
God bless Taifa stars. God bless Tanzania.
Lucas Assenga
Arusha.
|
