Serengeti General Management Plan

Serengeti National Park General Management Plan
types of products that are marketable, and in how markets might be accessed. SENAPA and
TANAPA will help to bridge this gap and to identify further opportunities for small-scale, conservation
friendly income-generating activities that can be developed by community self-help
groups.
In addition, SENAPA will facilitate, or where possible provide support in building the necessary
skills in the local communities; for example, in entrepreneurial skills and the facilitation
of community savings and loan schemes, training in livestock production and health, or the
provision of alternative protein sources. Finally the success of these income-generating activities
will be assessed to see whether there is an improvement of human livelihoods, attitudes
to the Park, or a concomitant reduction of illegal bushmeat hunting.
Action 1.2.3: Assist communities in mitigating human-wildlife conflicts
Over recent years, with the increase in human populations, an increasingly ‘hard-edge’ to
sections of the Park boundary, the recovery of elephant populations from the poaching pressure
of the 1980’s and improved security within the Park, instances of human-wildlife conflict
have apparently been growing. Crop raiding by elephants and other herbivores, such as baboons,
are a considerable problem at certain times of the year to the west of the Park,
whereas to the east livestock predation is becoming common. In a few cases, human lives
have been lost. In all these cases, communities frequently appeal to SENAPA to come to
their assistance.
In response SENAPA rangers and drivers have frequently directly provided assistance to villagers
in frightening off elephants from crops. More recently, an investigation into the scale of
human-elephant conflict has been conducted and a pilot project to assess the scale of elephant
damage to crops and to test alternative mitigation techniques has been instigated by
TAWIRI. Human-wildlife conflicts are clearly a multifaceted problem, with many stakeholders
involved in finding solutions. Nonetheless, SENAPA clearly must collaborate with all parties
to reduce these conflicts that can so rapidly sour park-community relations.
As a first step to mitigation of human-wildlife conflict, accurate records of incidents will be established.
This will involve standardising recording protocols that must be carefully followed.
With a baseline of conflicts established, alternative mitigation techniques will be tested and
the best “package of methods” established. With this information communities will be empowered
to implement the chosen techniques, with assistance from outside stakeholders
where necessary. In specific situations where there is no other solution to particular problem
animal, the Protection or Veterinary Departments may need to be involved in euthanasia.
Action 1.2.4: Promote the employment of local people by park stakeholders
Although by equal opportunities law TANAPA is obliged to advertise professional posts
widely and are thus constrained when appointing people locally, there are a number of opportunities
each year that SENAPA will advertise locally for unskilled workers. Also SENAPA
will ensure, when opportunities arise, that local communities are aware of vacancies.
In addition, private stakeholders in the area are not so strictly bound by government regulations
and have more flexibility in employing and training local community members. For example,
some community based tourism initiatives employ a quota of local people. SENAPA
Outreach Department will help to facilitate and liaise with tour operators and other stakeholders
to find ways of promoting local employment in or around the park.
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