Tanzania’s NEMC and TAWA unite to educate public on tortoise conservation

Tabora. As the world marks World Tortoise Day, Tanzania’s National Environment Management Council (NEMC) has placed significant emphasis on the occasion by visiting the Tabora Zoo, a wildlife park managed by the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), home to over two hundred tortoises among other species.

In a collaborative effort, NEMC and TAWA used the opportunity to provide public education on tortoises and their ecosystems to students from Kaze Hill Secondary School and members of the surrounding community.

Speaking to the media after touring the tortoise sanctuary and other conservation areas within the zoo, Acting Central Zone Manager at NEMC, Mr Novatus Mushi, urged Tanzanians to protect the environment to ensure the survival and wellbeing of tortoises, warning that some species are at serious risk of extinction.

“Human activities such as deforestation and plastic pollution are severely affecting tortoise ecosystems, putting their existence in jeopardy,” he said.

For his part, Manager of Tabora Zoo, Mr Abubakari Shaban, reminded the public that tortoises are government-protected wildlife and it is illegal to possess them without a permit from TAWA.

“Tortoises are government trophies, and anyone who encounters one in an unauthorised area should report it to TAWA so that it can be relocated to a safe environment,” he said.

NEMC reiterated its call for all citizens to avoid any activities that harm the environment and wildlife habitats. Protecting the environment, the council emphasised, is not only essential for the survival of species like tortoises but also for sustaining tourism and biodiversity in Tanzania.