Combating Poaching and Illegal Logging in Tanzania: Voices of the Rangers-Hands-on Experiences from the Field

UGALLA GAME RESERVE

of the people. Game park rangers do not inspect the fishermen, but admit that there might be meat poaching taking place. During the dry season there is very little poaching taking place. Poachers come when the reserve is flooded and it is hard for the park rangers to perform patrols. Park rangers perform both foot and vehicle patrols, and when they have aircraft available from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife, they perform aerial patrols as well.” Ugalla Game Reserve is about 5,000 km 2 . The reserve is protected by about 40 rangers, which equates to about 125 km 2 per ranger. This compares to the typical 39 km 2 per ranger in South Africa’s national parks in 2012, except Kruger National Park, which had 88 km 2 per ranger. 13 There are challenges with

Staff at Ugalla Game Reserve also reported positive feedback on the training after some 25 experienced rangers and game wardens attended a course 21–23 September 2015. They said that they found both the basic tracking techniques and the crime-scene management training very useful. Japhary Lyimo, Project Manager Ugalla Game Reserve Lyimo explained the situation in the game reserves briefly: “Local tribes are allowed to settle in the reserve from July to December at the Ugalla River to conduct fishing, around 150 people. They normally stay there for two months at a time, then go out to procure supplies. They are not allowed to hunt. Conservation of the reserve/ protected areas is for the benefit

Rangers from Ugalla Game Reserve and Friedkin Conservation Fund at a site of illegally cut wood in Ugalla Game Reserve, September 2015

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