Elephant, rhino populations finally on the rise in Tanzania after rampant poaching

Original post: News24

Elephant and rhino populations in Tanzania have begun to rebound after a government crackdown dismantled organised criminal networks involved in industrial-scale poaching, the country’s presidency said. 

Elephant populations have increased from 43 330 in 2014 to over 60 000 presently,” the presidency said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The number of rhino, an endangered species, had increased from just 15 to 167 over the past four years, it said.

The elephant population in Tanzania, famed for its wildlife reserves, shrank from 110 000 in 2009 to little more than 43 000 in 2014, according to a 2015 census, with conservation groups blaming rampant poaching.

Demand for ivory from Asian countries such as China and Vietnam, where it is turned into jewels and ornaments, has led to a surge in poaching across Africa.

Tourism is the main source of hard currency in Tanzania, which is renowned for its wildlife safaris, Indian Ocean beaches and Mount Kilimanjaro.

The presidency said revenues from tourism were $2.5bn last year, up from $1.9bn in 2015.

It said Tanzania had set aside 32% of its total land area for conservation activities and dismissed criticism from environmentalists about a $3bn hydropower dam project in the Selous Game Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.