JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA

WIZARA YA MALIASILI NA UTALII

TAARIFA KWA UMMA

SIKU YA WANYAMAPORI DUNIANI NA CHANGAMOTO ZA
UHIFADHI
Tanzania kupitia Wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii ni nchi
mwanachama wa CITES (Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), inapenda
kuwataarifu wananchi na wadau wa uhifadhi nchini kushiriki
kikamilifu katika maadhimisho ya Siku ya Wanyamapori Duniani
ambapo mwaka huu 2017 kitaifa yatafanyika katika Viwanja vya
Mnazi Mmoja, Mkoani Dar es Salaam. Siku ya Wanyamapori
Duniani huadhimishwa tarehe 03 Machi ya kila mwaka. Lengo la
maadhimisho haya ni kuelimisha umma juu ya umuhimu wa kuhifadhi
wanayamapori, mimea na mazingira.

Kauli mbiu ya ni Tusikilize sauti za vijana kwa kuwa mustakabali wa baadaye

u mikononi mwao au Listen to the young voices, they hold the future.
Takwimu zinaonesha kuwa, takriban robo ya watu wote duniani ni wale
wenye umri kati ya miaka 10 na 24. Hapa nchini matokeo ya sensa ya
mwaka 2012 yanaonesha kuwa takriban asilimia 60 ya Watanzania ni vijana.
Kwa hiyo, ni muhimu sana kuwashirikisha vijana katika kuhifadhi maliasili na
mazingira kwa ujumla kwani wao ni sehemu kubwa ya jamii.

Tanzania inaungana na nchi wanachama wa Mkataba wa CITES katika

kuadhimisha siku hii kwa mara ya nne huku ikiandamwa na changamoto
kadhaa, hususan katika uhifadhi wa wanyamapori na mazingira yao.
Changamoto hizo ni pamoja na: ujangili hususani wa tembo; uvamizi wa
maeneo yaliyotengwa kwa ajili ya wanyamapori kwa shughuli za kibinadamu

Tanzania imejaliwa kuwa na vivutio mbalimbali vinavyoitambulisha

ulimwenguni ambavyo, kwa namna moja au nyingine, vinahusiana na
uhifadhi wa wanyamapori. Sekta ya wanyamapori inachangia pato la taifa
ikiwa ni pamoja na kutoa ajira, kuingiza fedha za kigeni na masoko kwa
bidhaa mbalimbali zinazozalishwa hapa nchini. Baadhi ya vivutio vinavyoiuza
Tanzania kiutalii ni pamoja na Mlima Kilimanjaro ambao ni mlima mrefu kuliko
milima yote Afrika, Hifadhi ya Ngorongoro ambayo binadamu anaishi na
wanyama na Hifadhi ya Taifa Serengeti ambayo maarufu ulimwenguni
kutokana na msafara wa nyumbu na wanyamapori wengine wahamao kutoka
Serengeti (Tanzania) kwenda Masai-Mara (Kenya). Sekta ya wanyamapori ni
miongoni mwa sekta zenye mchango mkubwa kwenye pato la ambalo kwa
kiasi kikubwa linategemea sana uwepo wa wanyamapori.

Serikali ya Tanzania inafanya jitihada mbalimbali kupambana na wimbi la

ujangili nchini ikiwa ni pamoja na kuendesha oparesheni maaalum, kuajiri
watendaji katika sekta ya wanyamapori na kununua vifaa mbalimbali.
Pamoja na hayo serikali imeanzisha Mamlaka ya Kuhifadhi Wanyamapori
(TAWA) lengo likiwa ni kuongeza tija na ufanisi katika kusimamia rasilimali ya
wanyamapori nchini.

Pamoja na jitihada zilizoelezwa hapo juu, serikali imeweka nguvu pia kwenye
kutoa elimu ya uhifadhi kwa wananchi, hususan wale wanaozunguka maeneo
yaliyohifadhiwa.

Kauli mbiu ya maadhimisho ya siku ya wanyamapori duniani mwaka huu

inasema Sikiliza sauti za vijana. Kwa ujumla hawa ndio watakuwa
waathirika wakubwa iwapo wanyamapori na mazingira hayatatunzwa. Uzuri
wa rasilimali hii ni kuwa ni endelevu. Kizazi cha sasa kimeikuta na, kama
itatunzwa na kuhifadhiwa vizuri, ni urithi mkubwa utakaoachwa kwa vizazi
vijavyo.

Utunzaji wa maeneo wanakoishi wanyamapori unafaida nyingi. Kwa kutunza

mazingira tunapata maji kwa ajili ya kilimo, uvuvi na ufugaji, tunapata
chanzo cha umeme na tunapata ajira. Vilevile mazingira ya wanyamapori
yakitunzwa yanachangia kwa kiasi kikubwa kupunguza hewa ya ukaa
ambayo na kama itaachwa iongezeke, binadamu na wanyama tutatoweka.

Maadhimisho haya ya siku ya wanyamapori duniani ni fursa kwa vijana

kuelewa na kutambua umuhimu wa uhifadhi kwa kuwa wao ndio viongozi na
watoa maamuzi wa taifa la leo na kesho. Kwa kuzingatia hilo, vijana wana
kila sababu ya kushirikishwa katika uhifadhi na kuamua kwa dhati
kutokomeza maovu yahusuyo wanyamapori ukiwemo ujangili ili kuhakikisha
kuwa uhai wa wanyamapori katika makazi yao ya asili unalindwa kwa faida
ya kizazi cha sasa na vizazi vijavyo, ambavyo vijana wa sasa watavileta
duniani.

Imetolewa na;
KATIBU MKUU
3 March 2017
 THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND TOURISM

PRESS RELEASE

WORLD WILDLIFE DAY

Tanzania, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT), is one of
the 183 member states of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since the 29 th of November 1979. In this
context, the MNRT wishes to inform and invite all wildlife conservation stakeholders
and the public in general to participate in the fourth World Wildlife Day
commemoration under the theme Listen to the Young Voices. The national
celebrations will be held at Mnazi Mmoja Grounds in Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania is globally renowned for its abundance and diversity of wildlife that is
conserved in-situ, in 16 Nationals Parks, 28 Game Reserves, 44 Game Controlled
Areas, 38 Wildlife Management Areas and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. According to
UNWTOs report of 2013, Tanzania ranks second in terms of natural resources
competitiveness and mega biodiversity. No wonder over90%oftourisminTanzania
dependsonwildlife.ManytouristscometoTanzaniaforphotographicsafarisanda
small proportion conducts sport hunting. In this context, wildlife determines our
countryseconomy;buyingusmedicines,booksforourschoolsandconstructingour
roadsandotherinfrastructure.

World Wildlife Day is commemorated every 3 rd of March. Tanzania, as a state party to

CITES, joins other state parties to commemorate this very special day in wildlife
conservation at the time conservation is increasingly facing many challenges. These
challenges include but are not limited to increasing demand for wildlife products,
habitat destruction and shrinkage due to encroachment, and poaching for subsistence
and commercial gains. Also, there are climate change and competition from other
production sectors like agriculture, livestock, and mining.
 In recent years, poaching in particular of elephant and ivory trafficking in Tanzania
and in the region poses a threat not only to existence of elephants but also to
economic, political ecological and even cultural systems. Poaching and illegal trade in
wildlife products is driven by international criminal networks and curtails which fuel
corruption, undermines the rule of law and security, and is associated with organized
crimes.

As stated above, this years theme is Listen to the Young Voices, which aims at
inspiring the youth around the world to enthusiastically participate in wildlife
conservation to tackle current wildlife challenges. Today, people under the age of 30
represent over half of the worlds population. Therefore, it is becoming more and more
important to engage the youth as current and future leaders and decision makers in
conservation.

To recognize these challenges, the government of the United Republic of

Tanzania has taken various measures, including increasing regular and special
anti-poaching operations, awareness campaigns on how serious the poaching
problem is and how it affects human wellbeing by disturbing the ecological
stability.

Nevertheless, the initiatives listed above are yet to produce the desired output due to
lack of participation from some stakeholders and the general public especially in the
fight against poaching and this is due to the perception that wildlife protection is the
sole responsibility of the government. The government cannot win this battle if it
continues fighting alone because, in most cases, poachers come from within the
communities. It is in this regard that the government is calling for all stakeholders and
the general public to join hands in combating poaching and other vices in
conservation. Every Tanzanian should participate in this campaign by providing
information on wildlife crime to the nearest Wildlife Officer, national park or game
reserve office, TANAPA or TAWA headquarters, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Authority, Wildlife Division, or the nearest Police station.

As we commemorate this great day, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural

Resources and Tourism calls upon every Tanzanian to revisit the commitment declared
in the Arusha Manifesto by the Father of the Nation Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere in
1961 that....in accepting the trusteeship of our wildlife we solemnly declare that we will
do everything in our power to make sure our childrens grandchildren will be able to
enjoy this rich and precious inheritance

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary cordially takes this opportunity to wish you all
happy celebrations as we commemorate the fourth World Wildlife Day. Happy
celebrations!

Issued by:
PERMANENT SECRETARY
3 March 2017