But it’s not too late. We still have the power to protect what we love.

The Role of Conservation Finance in Species Recovery

Over the past decade, Tanzania has witnessed positive trends in the populations of lions, elephants, and rhinos, attributed to targeted interventions such as anti-poaching measures, strengthened law enforcement, and community engagement strategies that have curbed illegal wildlife trade. The commitment of conservation organizations, in partnership with governments and international donors, has been pivotal in securing the future of these species.

Tanzania's elephant population experienced a significant decline due to poaching, particularly between 2009 and 2014. However, enhanced surveillance, intelligence-led anti-poaching operations, and community-based conservation efforts have led to stabilization and signs of recovery. As of recent reports, Tanzania boasts Africa's third-largest elephant population, with approximately 60,000 individuals.

The black rhino, once on the brink of extinction in Tanzania, has seen gradual population increases due to intensive protection measures and breeding programs. Despite this progress, the species remains critically endangered, requiring sustained financial investment to ensure its full recovery.

Tanzania is home to approximately 40% of Africa's remaining lions, the largest wild lion population on the continent. Conservation efforts, including habitat protection and mitigating human-wildlife conflicts, have been instrumental in maintaining stable populations.

These gains, however, remain fragile. Challenges such as habitat loss due to land conversion, climate change, and the persistent threat of poaching necessitate continued and expanded financial support.

Funding Challenges: The Impact of U.S. Policy Shifts

USAID has been a significant contributor to conservation efforts in Tanzania through various projects and funding initiatives. The recent withdrawal of financial support by the U.S. government across various sectors, including conservation, poses a significant challenge to ongoing efforts. Conservation projects are often long-term, requiring consistent funding to be effective. Abrupt funding cuts risk undoing years of investment, potentially leading to a resurgence in poaching, weakening of anti-wildlife crime units, and reduced community participation in conservation efforts. One notable project is the Promoting Tanzania's Environment, Conservation, and Tourism (PROTECT) initiative, a five-year endeavor launched in 2015 with a budget of $19.1 million. This project was designed to address critical threats to biodiversity and promote private sector-led tourism growth in the country.

In 2020, the U.S. government  introduced the Tuhifadhi Maliasili project, a five-year, $30.5 million conservation effort aimed at preserving wildlife movement corridors and biodiversity in Tanzania. Additionally, in 2021, the United States, in partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute-Tanzania, launched a $30 million project focused on sustainable development and forest conservation. This initiative seeks to enhance land rights, improve forest management, and provide stable income opportunities for local communities.

While these projects highlight substantial investments in Tanzania's conservation sector, specific data on the total amount of USAID funds allocated exclusively to Tanzanian conservation efforts over the years is not readily available from the provided sources. However, it's noteworthy that in 2023, the U.S. government nonmilitary foreign aid budget allocated approximately $375 million to biodiversity projects worldwide, with USAID directing much of these funds toward activities such as wildlife security, habitat restoration, and community conservation efforts.

It's important to recognize that recent policy shifts, including the freezing of USAID funds, have introduced uncertainties and challenges to ongoing and future conservation projects in Tanzania and globally. These developments underscore the need for diversified and sustainable funding sources to ensure the continuity and effectiveness of conservation initiatives.
Impacts of USAID funding freeze on global conservation efforts has been made clear including rendering project staff layoff,  with some charities reeling from USAID freeze warning of 'life or death' effects.  Some funding cuts have disrupted research at various universities, potentially compromising their findings and leading to a waste of valuable resources and time invested in critical studies.

The funding gap also threatens livelihoods that depend on conservation-linked economies, such as ecotourism and community wildlife conservancies. Communities that have embraced conservation as a sustainable economic model may face increased human-wildlife conflict due to a lack of resources to implement mitigation strategies.

Why Investing in Wildlife Conservation Matters

Conserving wildlife is not just about saving species; it is about preserving ecosystems that support human livelihoods. Wildlife conservation finance is an investment in:

Ecosystem Services: Healthy wildlife populations maintain balanced ecosystems, ensuring services like carbon sequestration, water purification, and soil fertility.

Community Development: Many rural communities depend on conservation initiatives for income through ecotourism, sustainable agriculture, and employment in conservation projects.

Climate Resilience: Protecting natural habitats, such as forests and savannahs, plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by acting as carbon sinks.

Impact of Infrastructure Development on Wildlife Corridors
Tanzania’s wildlife corridors are lifelines for the nation’s iconic biodiversity, ensuring the survival of some of the planet’s most magnificent species. Nestled in the tropics near the equator, Tanzania is a global biodiversity hotspot, boasting an extraordinary array of habitats, ecosystems, and climatic zones that support an unparalleled variety of life. Tanzania has established comprehensive frameworks to protect its wildlife corridors, encompassing regulations, action plans, and multisectoral committees. Infrastructure development, while essential for economic growth, can have adverse effects on wildlife habitats and movement corridors. In Kenya's Tsavo National Parks, the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has disrupted traditional elephant migratory routes. Studies have shown that while some elephants have adapted by using underpasses and culverts, others have experienced restricted movement, leading to increased human-wildlife conflicts and habitat fragmentation.

The Tsavo-Mkomazi landscape, straddling the Kenya-Tanzania border, is one of the world's largest protected areas, home to more than a third of Kenya's elephants and nearly a fifth of its black rhinos.
Stresses in this area include infrastructure development, climate change impacts, and freshwater availability. Collaborative anti-poaching efforts and community engagement are essential to mitigate these challenges.

The Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) has announced plans to expand the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) network from Dar es Salaam to Musoma via Tanga, Moshi and Arusha. Scheduled for completion by 2028, the project aims to enhance connectivity in Tanzania’s northern regions, aligning with the government’s objective to revitalize the rail transport system. Tanzania’s railway expansion aligns with the country’s industrialisation agenda and aims to boost regional trade by capturing cargo from neighbouring countries. Estimated to cost $3.3 billion, this project seeks to address transport challenges in the northern corridor by connecting Mwambani Port in Tanga with Uganda via Lake Victoria. It is set to become a critical economic artery, reducing transport costs, enhancing efficiency and opening new markets for Tanzanian products. 

While it is revealed that studies on the proposed expansion have already been conducted, it is important that the relevant sectoral ministries like the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) with its wildlife agencies namely Tanzania Wildlife Research Insititution (TAWIRI), Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) and Tanzania Forest Services Agency  (TFS)  have been involved since the railway line will traverse through critical wildlife areas that connects Saadani, Mkomazi ecosystem and Mikumi National Park and Selous Game Reserve and Nyerere National Park via Wami-Mbiki Game Reserve. Proper Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) should be undertaken and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to inform policy, project and plans.

In Tanzania, securing wildlife corridors is vital for maintaining ecological connectivity and genetic diversity among species. TAWIRI has identified several critical corridors that are threatened by human activities such as agriculture, settlement expansion, and infrastructure development. Implementing the Corridor Action Plan involves land-use planning, community sensitization, and legal protection measures to preserve these essential pathways in line with 2018 wildlife corridor regulations.
 

Tourism – the goose that lays the golden egg

Tanzania’s tourism accounts for more 17 per cent of GDP and 25 percent of foreign earnings and possesses significant potential to contribute to the national economy and foreign receipts because of the unique natural attractions present in the country. Wildlife-based tourism is a significant contributor to Tanzania's economy, heavily reliant on its rich wildlife and natural landscapes. In recent years, the number of tourists visiting Tanzania has seen fluctuations due to global events and economic conditions.
In April 2022, President Samia Suluhu Hassan launched The Royal Tour documentary, a groundbreaking initiative that puts Tanzania’s breathtaking attractions in the global spotlight. Featuring high-profile endorsements and an immersive storytelling approach, this innovative documentary has significantly boosted tourism visitation. More than just a promotional film, The Royal Tour stands out as a bold and unprecedented fundraising strategy—one that has never been tested anywhere else in the world. This surge in tourism not only boosts national revenue but also provides funds for conservation projects and community development. The government estimated the number of tourists in 2023 at 1,808,205, up from 1,454,920 in 2022—an increase of 24.3%. The rise in tourist numbers translates into an increase in revenue from 2.5 billion USD in 2022 to 3.4 billion USD in 2023 and to 4 billion USD last year. In the past year, Tanzania ranked second in Africa and twelfth in the world in the UN’s ranking of the most successful tourist destinations.
The country’s Five Years Development Plan (2021/22 – 2025/26) targets on increasing the number of tourists visiting Tanzania to reach 5 million tourists with a projected revenue to reach  $6 billion in revenue from tourism sector by 2025. How do we balance between declining wildlife populations and growing tourism numbers across the globe?

References:
WWF (2023). State of Wildlife in Tanzania.
UNEP-WCMC (2023). Wildlife Populations and Conservation Finance in East Africa.
IUCN Red List (2024). Species Status Updates.
TRAFFIC (2023). Illegal Wildlife Trade in Africa.
(a). theguardian.com - Collapsing wildlife populations near 'points of no return', report warns.
(b).  time.com - Earth's Wildlife is Vanishing. We Must Save It In Order to Save Ourselves.
(c). vox.com - A new report reveals "catastrophic" declines of animals worldwide - but is it accurate?