Save the Serengeti

(Siringitu- ‘the place where the land moves on forever’)

Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park discovered in 1931, is undoubtedly the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, declared the 7th (seventh) wonder of the in 2006. These Plains are famous because of a unique set of geological and meteorological circumstances that has caused a certain distinct seasonal pattern of grass growth, which in turn is the driving force behind a huge annual migration of grazing animals inevitably followed by the predators. Each year over 1,200,000 wildebeest and over 800,000 zebra migrate around the Serengeti eco-system.

The Problem

The Government of Tanzania has given the go ahead for a 40mile super highway to be constructed right across the Serengeti National Park. This will heavily interfere with the Serengeti eco-system and threaten the very existence of the ancient natural spectacular annual wildebeest migration route. The high speed traffic will indeed be a death trap for many of the animals crossing whilst the road will pave way for easy access for many poachers. Heavy construction traffic, pollution, noise, work gangs will greatly affect wildlife in the park during the construction. Being a tourism hotspot since listing in the UNESCO World Heritage list as a Wonder of the world, it risks delisting losing its integrity and tourism popularity.

The road is being advanced as political bait to the people following a major pledge made to Lake Victoria voters,  thus with the polls in October, political pundits say the highway is a crucial agenda for the government. The construction of the Serengeti Highway is a conservation disaster that needs URGENT attention.

In view of this, Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) has laid down a campaign strategy aimed at saving this endangered ecosystem. Working with our partners in Tanzania and in the region, we will follow a three pronged bottom up strategic approach as follows:

1. Sensitize the grass root communities (in Kenya and Tanzania) that will be affected by the loss of the ecosystem to reject the construction of the proposed highway.
2. Petition the Kenyan Government and the East Africa Community (EAC) to demand an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the proposed highway since it is a cross –border issue.
3. Demand that the Tanzanian government considers an alternative route that does not go through the park.

What You Can Do!

Please make a donation by entering your desired contributions below, or send a check to ANAW USA in USA through mailing address 10130 E Powers Ave, Greenwood Village, CO. 80111. USA. This shall also enable you to benefit from a tax deductible facility -if in US. You can also send checks directly to ANAW in Africa using the mailing address P.O. Box 3731 – 00506, Nairobi, Kenya.

Artistic impression of the challenge posed by the Serengeti Superhighway