Poaching in Tanzania is threatening to undermine the country’s growing tourism trade.
Dr Adelhelm Meru, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism’s permanent secretary, has warned that poaching could affect as many as 3.8 million tourism-sector jobs across Africa, including guides, drivers and hotel and restaurant staff.
According to All Africa reports, Tanzania, like many African nations, has been hard hit by poaching over the past decade.
Last year a survey revealed that the country had lost more than half of its elephant population, with number declining from 110,000 in 2009 to fewer than 44,000. Tanzania’s iconic giraffes, the country’s national symbol, have also suffered, as has much of its other wildlife.
While the poachers are profiting from these beloved species, tourism could suffer, Meru said.
Tanzania has 700,000 tourism-related jobs and predicts that the number could double, but only if “the ongoing rampant killings of wildlife” stops.
“If the current situation will remain unattended, these jobs would vanish in thin air,” he said.
To support the people of Tanzania, in June WildAid and African Wildlife Foundation launched a new campaign with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism called “Poaching Steals from Us All,” or “Ujangili Unatuumiza Sote” in Kiswahili.
This campaign uses Tanzanian religious leaders and celebrities to raise public awareness on the poaching crisis as well as to instill national pride in one of Tanzania’s greatest natural resources – wildlife.
The campaign will use television, radio, social media, newspapers and magazines, billboards and videos in public spaces in order to reach as many members of the public as possible, including the residents of remote rural villages.
A recent WildAid/AWF survey of over 2,000 Tanzanians in both rural and urban areas found that nearly 80 per cent of respondents said that it would matter a great deal to them if elephants disappeared from Tanzania. Over 73 per cent said that they associated wildlife with their national identity and heritage.
“Poaching of elephants literally is theft from all Tanzanians and from future generations,” WildAid CEO Peter Knights said in June. “We invite all media to participate in the campaign, and we need everyone to help in the fight to stop it.”
Following the continuation of poaching and wildlife trafficking incidences in the country by poachers, the government had launched an awareness campaign involving local and international celebrities, religious leaders and organisations.
Dubbed ‘Wildlife Pride Campaign” the move is to fight against poaching in the country. It involves local celebrities like former Miss Tanzania Jacqueline Mengi, artists Ali Kiba, Vanessa Mdee and former NBA player Hasheem Thabeet.
They will be joined by international celebrities who include Jackie Chan, Yao Ming, Edward Norton, Prince William and David Beckham.
However WildAid and African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) are the main sponsors of the awareness campaign that intends to end poaching and wildlife poaching or reduce in large amount the incidences.