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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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