Greater Serengeti Conservation Society
Threats
As human activity continues to surge exponentially, the Greater Serengeti faces challenges that demand immediate attention and conservation efforts.
Land Conversion
Habitat loss, driven by imprudent land conversion, emerges as the most severe and irreversible threat to the Greater Serengeti. Unauthorized villages and human settlements encroach upon its borders with alarming intensity. Grazing lands transform into croplands, and croplands give way to human settlements, disrupting the natural order.
Demographic Rates
Demographic rates nearing 4% per annum in areas surrounding the Greater Serengeti, outpacing Tanzania’s national rate, exert immense pressure on the ecosystem. Over the past 50 years, a tenfold increase in the human population in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, fueled by improved community services, poses a complex challenge to the region’s ecological balance.
Wildlife Crime
Despite its rarity, wildlife crime casts a shadow over the Greater Serengeti. Rhino and elephant poaching persist as a constant threat, particularly in Maswa and Loliondo areas. The abundance of wildlife becomes an irresistible attraction, with nearly 100,000 migrating ungulates falling victim to bushmeat hunting by surrounding villagers annually.
Uncontrolled Livestock
Unregulated and unsustainable growth of domestic livestock, increasing over twentyfold in the last 50 years, disrupts the natural balance within the heart of the Serengeti Plains. Livestock’s unchecked grazing and habitat degradation pose the greatest present threat to the Greater Serengeti’s integrity and resilience.
Commercial Road Projects
Commercial road projects threaten the very essence of wildlife migration and protection. A road connecting the lake region to the Indian Ocean through the Serengeti National Park raises concerns about the disturbance it might cause to the region’s delicate ecosystem.
Climate Change
The looming specter of climate change adds uncertainty to the equation. Its potential impact on weather patterns, fire regimes, and wildlife and plant diseases within the Greater Serengeti is not fully understood, demanding continued exploration and adaptation strategies.
In the face of these multifaceted threats, the Greater Serengeti Society Conservation stands resilient, committed to safeguarding this natural wonder for generations to come. Protect the beauty of the Greater Serengeti with us.
