ARUSHA, Tanzania, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Poaching and human activities have resurfaced in northern Tanzania's Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA), putting the conservancy at risk of disappearance, local authorities said Friday.
The WMA is located in northern Tanzania's wildlife-rich northern tourist circuit and is close to both Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks.
Ramadhani Ismail, WMA's chairman, said that poaching incidents have increased in recent months following a tight surveillance the Tarangire and Lake Manyara National parks.
He said that there were also more people getting into the sanctuary for making charcoal and some are trying to establish settlements.
Apart from poaching, Ramadhani cited politics and negligence as among the factors behind the increase of such invasion in the WMA, which is widely known for its large buffalo population.
According to Ramadhani, within one month, 15 suspected poachers have been arrested. Others include those who are engaging in charcoal making, settlements and those who have established fishing camps inside the WMA.
He appealed to the government and other stakeholders to chip in and remove the invaders inside the conservancy.
Nicolas Negre, one of the tour operators in the wildlife conservancy, described the people's invasion inside the sanctuary as a thorn to the country's anti-poaching efforts.
He called upon concerted efforts to address the challenge for the benefit of the country's wildlife sector and local communities around the conservancy.
The presence of Lake Burunge in the WMA attracts the migration of water birds such as greater and lesser flamingos and a range of ducks and shore birds.
