Cheetah Conservation Programmes
There are estimated to be some 1,500 cheetahs living in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. This makes the Serengeti home to the second largest Cheetah population anywhere in the world, and your chances of spotting one on a Tanzania safari are pretty high. Having said that, the work of conservations programmes in National parks and Game Reserves has been vitally importantly in keeping cheetah numbers up, however, there are still a number of areas across Africa that are in desperate need of the work from these vital conservation programmes.
One such programme is the Tanzania Cheetah Conservation Programme. The programme has been a major focus for the ZSL (the Zoological Society of London) since 1991. With the support of the Tanzanian authorities the ZSL have been carrying out the longest-running in-depth study of a wild cheetah population. Because the project is long-term they are able to monitor changes in birth and survival rates and relate these to changing environmental conditions. It enables the ZSL and other institutions to make predictions about cheetah numbers in other parts of their range. The conservation programme also works closely with other similar projects across Africa, and this kind of collaboration will give, for the first time, an accurate estimate of cheetah numbers and distribution across the continent. This information is invaluable is protecting the cheetah and helping to protect their future.
Importantly cheetahs are very vulnerable to the impacts of insensitive tourism. Conservation programmes help to educate tourists about the ways in which they can minimise their impact on cheetah populations and also how they can support various projects across country and continent, not only by giving financial aid.
If you're planning on going on safari it is highly likely there will be other activities on offer apart from morning and evening game drives. Local village visits and tours around conservations projects are now integrated into many safari packages. It is not just luxury lodges that offer these tours, but they are available on many types of safari. Some operators and camps will charge for a visit to these projects, but the majority (if not all!) of the money goes back into conservation, to expand current projects or start new ones. It is well worth a visit to any conservation programme if you are out on safari - especially as it is too hot for many of the animals to be out and hunting during the midday heat.
One such programme is the Tanzania Cheetah Conservation Programme. The programme has been a major focus for the ZSL (the Zoological Society of London) since 1991. With the support of the Tanzanian authorities the ZSL have been carrying out the longest-running in-depth study of a wild cheetah population. Because the project is long-term they are able to monitor changes in birth and survival rates and relate these to changing environmental conditions. It enables the ZSL and other institutions to make predictions about cheetah numbers in other parts of their range. The conservation programme also works closely with other similar projects across Africa, and this kind of collaboration will give, for the first time, an accurate estimate of cheetah numbers and distribution across the continent. This information is invaluable is protecting the cheetah and helping to protect their future.
Importantly cheetahs are very vulnerable to the impacts of insensitive tourism. Conservation programmes help to educate tourists about the ways in which they can minimise their impact on cheetah populations and also how they can support various projects across country and continent, not only by giving financial aid.
If you're planning on going on safari it is highly likely there will be other activities on offer apart from morning and evening game drives. Local village visits and tours around conservations projects are now integrated into many safari packages. It is not just luxury lodges that offer these tours, but they are available on many types of safari. Some operators and camps will charge for a visit to these projects, but the majority (if not all!) of the money goes back into conservation, to expand current projects or start new ones. It is well worth a visit to any conservation programme if you are out on safari - especially as it is too hot for many of the animals to be out and hunting during the midday heat.
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