Giraffes in the world famous Serengeti National Park (SENAPA) will now be given special marketing locally and internationally.
This is one of the resolutions reached by a recent stakeholders meeting held in Mugumu to put in place measures aimed at boosting tourism growth and conservation campaign within the great Serengeti eco-system.
The meeting was convened by the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) and attended by District Commissioners (DC’s), Regional Police Commanders (RPCs), local leaders from areas surrounding the park, as well as experts from the tourism and conservation sectors.
The idea to give the giraffes a special marketing push was proposed by Tarime District Commissioner, Mr John Henjewele and was unanimously backed by the meeting.
“It is time to give giraffes special marketing and our people should be mobilized to prefer clothes featuring the animal’s colours and patterns. This will also help to boost the demand for local textile products,” Mr Henjewele said. Mr William Mwakilema, the SENAPA Chief Park Warden, said the park’s Tourism Department would start putting the idea into practice.
“This is a good idea and the tourism people would see how best to tape it,” Mr Mwakilema said. The giraffe is one of the top five animals attracting thousands of tourists to the nation’s tourist destinations hailing mainly from overseas.
Many groups of giraffes are seen wandering leisurely in Tanzania’s second largest national park covering 14,763 square kilometres. Some of the participants called for the introduction of a conservation subject in schools in a bid to enable the young grow up while knowing the importance of conserving wildlife. Tanzania has devoted 30 per cent of its land mass to wildlife conservation.
TANAPA is the body responsible for protecting and conserving 16 national parks, including SENAPA. The presence of wildlife contributes significantly to the development of the tourism sector which accounts for 18 per cent the country’s GDP. The meeting also discussed possible measures designed to curb poaching in the park as well as end conflicts between conservators and the local communities.
By MUGINI JACOB, Tanzania Daily News
