Why 10 percent of animal species in Tanzania face extinction

Dar es Salaam. The need for comprehensive conservation measures and a commitment to combat climate change is more urgent than ever in Tanzania, as 560 animal species are under threat of extinction.

The country known for its rich biodiversity of over 5, 000 animal species is ranked 14th among the top 20 countries with the highest number of threatened animal species due to climate change, as indicated by the study analysis by the aplaceforanimals.com organisation.

The study, which evaluated each country based on factors such as species diversity, the number of endangered species, and conservation efforts, pegged Indonesia as the top country, with 1,233 species at risk out of its 10,408 total species.

The organisation stated that species are termed endangered primarily due to two overarching factors: loss of habitat and loss of genetic variation.

“According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, a total of 42,100 species are threatened with extinction,” the study reads in part.

The study results show amphibians have the highest percentage (41 percent) of threatened species, followed by mammals at 27 percent, reptiles at 21 percent, and birds at 13 percent.

Speaking to The Citizen Executive Director of the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG), Mr Charles Meshack said that in the country, there are threatened flagship mammal species, and there is a system in place to protect them from extinction.

“The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has provided guidelines for preserving and protecting the habitats of some species at risk of extinction, such as the Rondo Galago found in the forests of Lindi,” he said.

“Additionally, there is concern about the declining habitat of the bushshrike bird in Tanzania’s Uluguru Mountains. Efforts are also being made to create a wildlife reserve at the Amani Nature Reserve in the East Usambara Mountains, home to nine species of chameleon, including the Usambara three-horned chameleon, Trioceros deremensis,” said Mr Meshack.

The key challenges of reserving wildlife in the country, apart from climate change threats, are human activities such as agriculture and hunting.

“When people establish farms in reserved areas, they result in fragmentation of the wildlife habitat. As a result, it limits their reproduction and demographics,” said Mr Meshack, adding that there are also people who hunt the animals and other species like birds for food.

In Tanzania, there are 12 Nature Forest Reserves. Eight are situated in the Eastern Arc Mountains (Chome, Magamba, Nilo, Amani, Mkingu, Uluguru, Kilombero, and Uzungwa Scarp); one is in the Southern Highlands (Mount Rungwe); one is in the coastal forests in southern Tanzania (Rondo); and the other encompasses the forests of a recently dormant volcano (Mount Hanang).

The last one (Minziro) includes areas of lowland swamp forest close to the Uganda border, similar in composition to the forests of the Congo Basin.

The aplaceforanimals.com study recommended that with countless species already on the precipice of vanishing forever, swift and resolute action is needed as the fate of these species mirrors our planet’s fate.

Prominent animals facing near-term extinction risks include the Javan rhino, with only 75 left, and the Amur Leopard, with just 100 remaining.

Countries and their threatened species in the bracket include the United States (1,178 threatened), Australia (1,067 threatened), Mexico (953 threatened), Brazil (856 threatened), Madagascar (849 threatened), India (813 threatened), Colombia (755 threatened), Malaysia (755 threatened), and the Philippines (693 threatened).