Serengeti General Management Plan
Serengeti General Management Plan
Serengeti General Management Plan
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<strong>Serengeti</strong> National Park <strong>General</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
In January 2005, TANAPA hosted a workshop in SENAPA to discuss the management of the<br />
metapopulation of Black rhino in the Greater <strong>Serengeti</strong> Ecosystem. At this meeting it was<br />
recommended that the <strong>Serengeti</strong>-Mara Ecosystem Rhino Forum be established as a local<br />
management group responsible for the coordination of rhino conservation activities. The Forum<br />
will have representatives from all the main rhino stakeholders in the ecosystem, e.g.<br />
TANAPA, NCAA, WD, Grumeti Reserves, Narok and Transmara County Councils, KWS,<br />
FZS and AWF. SENAPA management will play a central role in the establishment and running<br />
of this Forum, which will provide a focus for standardised and coordinated monitoring,<br />
security and future reintroduction of Black rhinos into SENAPA.<br />
The management actions designed to address these threats and seek the restoration of<br />
Black rhinos to the <strong>Serengeti</strong> are as follows:<br />
Action 1.4.1: Protect existing rhino populations from poaching threats<br />
In order to effectively protect the Black rhino population at Moru, there is a need to enhance<br />
the resources and manpower available for anti-poaching efforts. This management action will<br />
be implemented together with the Resource Protection Department in an effort to reduce<br />
poaching success and secure new habitats for the future planned re-introduction of Black<br />
rhinos (see Action 1.1.1 of Park Operations Programme).<br />
Action 1.4.2: Minimise tourism disturbance to Black rhinos<br />
This management action will ensure that visitor access is adequately controlled in the rhino<br />
area, especially to the core area away from game viewing trails, where tourist vehicles have<br />
been observed driving off-road. The first approach adopted will be to educate tour drivers<br />
and visitors against behaviours that negatively impact on Black rhino, through the development<br />
and dissemination of the <strong>Serengeti</strong> Code of Conduct outlined under Target 1.1 of the<br />
Tourism Programme. The enforcement of this management action will be done in collaboration<br />
with the SENAPA Resource Protection Department.<br />
Action 1.4.3: Design and implement a scheme for the re-introduction of Black rhinos<br />
to SENAPA<br />
With such a low population size there is a risk of random extinction from the <strong>Serengeti</strong> (the<br />
Extinction Vortex). For example, the predation of rhino calves by hyenas could be sufficient<br />
to wipe out the entire SENAPA population. The building up of a viable SENAPA rhino population,<br />
through a re-introduction programme to suitable and secure areas of the <strong>Serengeti</strong>, will<br />
be the focus of this management action; provided that this strategy is in line with TANAPA<br />
HQ policy.<br />
This management action will build on previous recommendations and knowledge, gather genetic<br />
information relating to the existing populations, and determine and prioritise suitable<br />
key areas for new Black rhino sub populations. Once these have been determined it will be<br />
possible to supplement the existing populations and establish new sub populations at identified<br />
sites.<br />
Target 1.5: Restoration of viable populations of Wild dogs<br />
Although Wild dogs are present in the <strong>Serengeti</strong> ecosystem, there are no longer any individuals<br />
within SENAPA itself. The identified threats that have led to this situation result from<br />
disease, human-Wild dog conflict and competition with other predators, as identified in the<br />
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