Country/Region: Tanzania
Partner: Chem Chem Association
In 2009, the Kwakuchinja wildlife corridor was declared abandoned and large mammal species – lion, dik-dik, waterbuck, lesser kudu, impala, zebra, cheetah, leopard and giraffe – were declared extinct in the corridor. Over the last 15 years, Chem Chem Association has worked towards the restoration of the corridor through protection and science led work.
Today, the Kwakuchinja corridor is once again filled with different mammal species roaming freely across this migratory route from Lake Manyara to Tarangire National Park.
However, human wildlife conflicts have been an underlying issue that has continued to threaten the long-term sustainability of the Kwakuchinja corridor and is exacerbated by the density of human settlements in the area and the associated deforestation and cropland expansion.
A recent nation-wide program launched by the Tanzanian government to assess, prioritize and develop action plans for wildlife corridors offers the opportunity for Kwakuchinja to be used as a model for other corridors in the country.
With the support from Fondation Segré, this three-year grant will allow Chem Chem Association to intensify protection, to engage key stakeholders and to work towards the gazetting of the Kwakuchinja corridor in order to increase the legal protection status of the corridor and demonstrate that an encroached corridor can be brought back to life.
