Off the wire
• Kenya launches 8 mln USD fund to support conservation of catchment  • UNIFIL under strategic review for better efficiency: UN  • New efforts to clamp down on littering at Swedish skiing competition  • Lithuania, U.S. sign agreement on status of U.S. forces in Lithuania  • 1st LD: Xi addresses Davos forum for first time to advance global growth, governance  • Aoun says Syrian refugee crisis obstacle in Lebanon's economic recovery  • Morocco's King Mohammed VI to visit Ghana  • S. Sudan new central bank chief vows to tackle hyper inflation  • Luxembourg's FM urges stronger support for EU  • Tanzanian gov't says its 8 citizens held in Malawi are not spies  
You are here: 　 Home

Baobab trees become hideout for poachers in northern Tanzania's sanctuary

Xinhua, January 18, 2017 Adjust font size:

Tarangire National Park in northern Tanzania's region of Manyara is characterized by an eye-catching landscape full of gigantic baobab trees that give its unique look as the best destination in East Africa with massively built elephants.

However, unscrupulous poachers have resorted to negatively take advantage of the peculiar scenery now using the percolated baobab trees as shelter after committing the crime. They make secret holes to the trees as a cover-up from game wardens.

Bernard Mgina, head of tourism unit in Tarangire National Park said on Tuesday that the concealed nature of illegal operation of poachers using baobab trees as hideouts complicated efforts by the government to combat poaching.

"This park is home to baobab trees that elephants sometimes feed on taking into consideration that the tree species is rich in water. But poachers hide in those to avoid the rangers. We will smoke them out whatever the case," Mginga explained.

Elephants fall in the wildlife group, he added, that catch the attention of tourists especially interested in seeing them peeling of the succulent (juicy) barks both for food and source of water.

"There are thousands of baobab trees in the area and it is not easy for the rangers to locate the hideouts. Poachers hide in holes made out of the trees and could spend days and night to fulfill their ill-intention mission.

The place is not only the ideal place for more that 3,000 elephants but also for more than 500 species of birds.

Without giving details, the official said: "We have devised combative strategies to give the National Park its distinction being the best destination in the region which should receive a big number of tourists annually."

Located 118 km southwest of Arusha, the sanctuary is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania and its name originates from the Tarangire River that crosses the park.

The Tarangire River is the primary source of fresh water for wild animals in the Tarangire Ecosystem during the annual dry season.

The Tarangire Ecosystem is defined by the long-distance migration of wildebeest and zebras. During the dry season, thousands of animals concentrate in Tarangire National Park from the surrounding wet season dispersal and calving areas. Endit