Serengeti

• Programmes for communities to participate in wildlife tourism and share its benefits have been put forward as one solution.
• Wildlife tourism is a major source of foreign revenue for the country.
• The country’s 2022 Wildlife Conservation Act offers financial and material compensation for any eligible person negatively affected by human-wildlife conflict incidents.
• Other research has linked changing patterns like this to climate change.

Water scarcity and loss of grassland

• They said the lack of rainfall led to a loss of vegetation inside Mikumi, forcing large animals like elephants to forage further afield.
• Potential prey for lions, such as deer and wildebeest, also moved far away in search of food and water.
• But, to date, I have not been compensated for my loss.
• But, to date, I have not been compensated for my loss.

Crop losses

• Victims from Mbamba reported that clashes between them and elephants happened almost every day from May to August, the peak harvest season.
• Since most Mbamba residents are subsistence farmers, the damage that elephants cause to their farms has a devastating impact on livelihoods.
• I have now accepted that when I grow maize, I also grow for elephants because they come every season.

Poor response

In Kiduhi, most Maasai men and women interviewed in this study felt the local government and park officals had not shown concern about the livestock losses they experienced from hyena and lion attacks. Despite their quest for compensation, they had received nothing but daily promises of resolution. In Mbamba, some villagers said they didn’t bother to report losses because no action would be taken.

What needs to be done about it

• Though some conservation experts have questioned its effectiveness, proponents of financial payments argue that ignoring victims’ economic losses could make the situation worse.
• So, firstly, the government needs to improve its compensation scheme.
• Concrete measures to address this complex conservation challenge are critical for Tanzania, given the significant contribution of wildlife tourism to its economy.

• We look forward to bringing CuriosityStream viewers around the world more of the high-quality, immersive natural history programming they crave."
• The first ten world premiere specials coming to CuriosityStream viewers this summer are:
  A cheetah raises her young family on the vast expanse of the Serengeti, facing enormous challenges.
• Lions are quick to throw their muscle around, and hyenas and jackals attempt to steal anything the cheetah manages to kill.
• The cubs will have to learn fast if they're going to survive, establishing territory and starting families of their own.