Ngorongoro World Heritage Site Under Threat

Thirty years after being listed as a World Heritage Sites the Ngorongoro Conservation area is in danger of being ‘deleted’ from the prestigious listing. This legendary wildlife-filled crater, is a  8,300 square kilometer part of Tanzania’s Serengeti.

The United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has set the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority very tight goals which must be met if Ngorongoro is to retain its World Heritage Sites listing.

Increased human activities in the conservation area topped human population growth are driving the world’s heritage site into brink of collapse.

UNESCO opposes cultivation activities within the NCA and the rapid growth in the number or visitors. The human population of over 64,842 is more than twice the 25,000 people that the eco-system can support. This population brings 13, 6550 head of cattle and 19, 3056 goats and sheep.Last year Ngorongoro received 425,000 visitors, previously the number averaged at 350,000 per annum.

“If UNESCO axes the Ngorongoro from the list of the World Heritage sites, no tourists will come to visit the place again so it is important to comply with their guidelines” Ndugai,  chairman for Parliamentary committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment said.

Cameroon Launches A Successful Anti Poaching Operation

30 guns, 3000 snares and 30 poisoned spears were confiscated, 40 hunters camps destroyed and a range of animal parts and over a ton of bushmeat seized. The action was in the last week of April and was based on good cooperation between tribal leaders and military, gendarmes and game guards in southeast Cameroon.

Four people have already been charged while eleven remain in custody pending charges being laid.

Rhino Wounded in Hunt in South African State Nature Reserve

Conservationists are bewildered by the decision of the Eastern Cape Parks Board to hunt six white rhino in the Dwesa Nature Reserve apparently because the animals are considered alien species. The Reserve wants to reintroduce black rhino, which are  indigenous to the area, but can’t because the reserve is too small to accommodate both.

Attempts to capture the rhinos have failed reportedly because they are not easily captured away from open grasslands that are their normal habitat. Dr Ian Player, the pioneer in game relocation, said he would have preferred for them to be relocated and “while it’s right what they say about it being difficult to capture them, it’s not impossible”.

The first hunt went badly with one rhino being wounded, resulting in the camp having to be closed and teams of hunters being put on the ground to track the animal.

Rwanda Prepare to Receive Black Rhino

Rwanda’s Akagera National Park is preparing to receive  endangered Black Rhinos from Wildlife Authorities within the East African Community, who are planning to relocate some of the 709 remaining Black Rhinos which predominantly live in Kenya and Tanzania, to neighbouring states including Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Ethiopia

It is estimated that if the animals are distributed across the region and given great attention, by 2039 they would have multiplied to a population of 3,000 Rhinos with minimal chances of extinction, according to reports. The move is meant to protect the endangered giants from diseases and catastrophes which would wipe them out since they are crammed in one place.

Wattled Crane Bring the Species Count to 1040 in Uganda

A wattled Crane has been spotted for the first time in Uganda at the Kibimba Rice Scheme in eastern Uganda. This brings the total number of bird species in Uganda to 1,040, more than the bird population of the US and Europe. It is, however, not yet clear whether the species will establish itself in Uganda.

The wattled crane of which there are only about 8,000 worldwide, is the largest of the Cranes. They are mainly found in Southern Africa, with an isolated population living in the highlands of Ethiopia.

According to the International Crane Foundation: “Human and livestock disturbance, power line collisions, mass aerial spraying against tsetse flies, and illegal collection of eggs, chicks and adults for food are also significant threats to Wattled Cranes throughout their range.

Ritual Slaughtering Attracts Sharks Leading to Attacks

The ritual slaughter of animals on Second beach at Port St Johns in South Africa has been blamed for two fatal shark attacks there this year.

The beach is close to the Umzimvubu River which is well known breeding area for Zambezi sharks. Zambezi sharks are notorious scavengers and would have been attracted to Second Beach at Port St Johns by the smell of blood and other animal remains from the ritual slaughtering of animals on the beach.

The recommendation is that these rituals be carried out well away from Second Beach, and any other beaches used by swimmers and surfers.

Source: Go Media - Written by Dave Harcourt - Photo by Thomas Huston on Wikimedia Commons under a GNU Free Documentation License.

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