WWF at Work in Tanzania
Oct 16th, 2009 by wwftravel
© PJ Stephenson / WWF-Canon
WWF considers East Africa one of its priority places for protection and works with governments, community leaders and other conservation groups on a variety of projects in Tanzania and its neighboring countries. For more than 45 years WWF has addressed the problems facing East Africa by working to establish new national parks, empower communities to successfully manage their natural resources and educate children and others about the importance of conservation.
Ending the ivory trade
WWF is working to shut down the largest illegal ivory markets in East Africa. Reports show that 25 tons of ivory – the equivalent of 2,200 elephants – was illegally traded last year because of new demand from Asia. This is threatening the survival of elephants in Africa.
WWF is currently funding TRAFFIC (the wildlife trade monitoring network) to study the flow of ivory in eastern and southern Africa. The next steps will be to establish a “best practice” ivory stockpile management system and to develop a training program directed at port authorities, law enforcement personnel and key private sector stakeholders.
Protecting coastal forests
WWF seeks to halt the illegal logging in Tanzania that is destroying vital coastal forests. WWF is collaborating with authorities in conducting an investigation of illegal practices to create new policies and standards that require sustainable forest management and trade. WWF is also assisting local communities in the protection and management of sacred forests, which have an important cultural value to rural people.
- © Martin HARVEY / WWF-Canon
Saving African wild dogs
The wild dog is one of the world’s most endangered mammals. Formerly widespread throughout Africa, only 3,000 to 5,000 wild dogs remain in the wild today. Major threats to the survival of wild dogs include accidental and targeted killings by humans, viral diseases like rabies and distemper, habitat loss and competition with larger predators like lions. Conflicts occur when wild dogs come in contact with people whose livelihoods rest largely on livestock and agriculture. Problems arise when expanding human activities decrease the habitat for available prey for wild dogs. In 2007, WWF started wild dog management in Tanzania. WWF began to count them, to assess threats and began managing the dogs with the help of community volunteers.
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[...] WWF at work in Tanzania [...]
hii..
i am from india.i got aware of WWF when we had a school trip to some village.there we had to volunteer some week animals.from that time what i learn is i got sumthing inside to help animal and treat them like humans.i really feel something deep for them inside.
i kept on reading articles about WWF working in different part of the world.how you guys treat them and protect them.
i really want to be a part of,a team member,a volunteer of WWF.