The government of Tanzania has approved a major commercial highway across the Serengeti National Park, linking the Lake area Victoria with eastern Tanzania. The decision was made public and reported in the Tanzanian press.
This ill-conceived project changes all the rules, and would destroy the integrity of a priceless world heritage that has been protected by the people of Tanzania since the birth of their country.
A World Heritage Site in Danger
We sincerely believe that the road will have disastrous effects on the entire ecosystem. The northern parts of the Serengeti and the adjacent Masai Mara are critical for the wildebeest and zebra migration during the dry season, as it is the only permanent year-round water source for these herds. Recent calculations show that if wildebeest were to be cut off from these critical dry season areas, the population would likely decline from 1.3 million animals to about 200,000 (meaning a collapse to far less than a quarter of its current population and most likely the end of the great migration).
– The Frankfurt Zoological Society. Read entire article!
In a world where resources become scarcer by the day, environmental catastrophes shake nations. Our most treasured areas are vanishing rapidly and wilderness is becoming an even more valuable asset. With a large percentage of its land area protected, Tanzania is one of the world leaders in biodiversity conservation. Future generations will not ask what the technological advances of our time were but who saved the majestic wild places that make our planet so special. Serengeti, a World Heritage Site, the epitome for wilderness, and biodiversity, an ecological and economical success should not be scarified for short-term infrastructure projects when reasonable alternatives exist.
We are convinced that the leaders and people of Tanzania will do nothing that could destroy the iconic Serengeti or damage such a treasure beyond repair. If made aware of the negative impact such a road could have on the Serengeti, the Tourism industry and the reputation of the country as a world leader in conservation we have no doubt that the Government will wisely guide Tanzania into a future where people are continuing to treasure the Serengeti as an exceptional natural and national heritage.
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