By the Respondents reporter
RUKWA, Tanzania - The Tanzanian government has intensified measures to protect communities from dangerous and destructive wildlife, particularly elephants and crocodiles, in areas bordering protected conservation zones.
Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Hamad Hassan Chande, said the government is strengthening interventions to safeguard residents living near wildlife corridors and conservation areas.
Chande made the remarks in Nkasi District in the Rukwa Region during a visit by Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba, who was touring development projects and meeting local communities to hear their concerns.
According to the deputy minister, Nkasi borders the Katavi–Lwafi–Kalambo–Zambia wildlife corridor, which often leads to elephants and other wild animals straying into villages, destroying crops and threatening human settlements.
He said the government has introduced several measures to reduce the risk, including increased wildlife patrols, public awareness campaigns on safety measures, and the construction of protective enclosures along the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
Authorities are also deploying modern technologies such as explosive deterrents and drones to drive elephants away from farms and guide them back into protected areas.
In addition, the government plans to construct an electric fence stretching from Kabwe to Masolo to prevent animals from leaving conservation zones.
Chande said the government continues to compensate affected residents, with more than 64 million Tanzanian shillings already paid out to victims by February this year, while a further 108 million shillings is expected to be disbursed to other affected communities.
Officials say the compensation programme aims to maintain public support for wildlife conservation while protecting livelihoods in rural areas near national parks and wildlife corridors.
