Mara-Serengeti Elephant and Buffalo Population Census 2014
Kenya and Tanzania governments have released the Elephant and Buffalo population estimates from the aerial surveys conducted in May this year 2014 in the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem. The survey / count were carried out to estimate the current number of Elephants and Buffaloes in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Masai Mara national Park in Kenya. 5 aircrafts were used in the surveys, together covering 32000km2. The surveys show an increasing trend from 1986, with over 8.045 Elephants in the Serengeti – Mara ecosystem. Buffaloes are estimated to be 72.410 individuals.
This census was coordinated and facilitated by Kenya Wildlife Services and Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute. Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) offered logistical support, while the entire endeavour was made possible by further collaboration with the Wildlife Division of Tanzania Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Tanzania National Parks Authority, Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, WWF Kenya and County Government of Narok.
The trans-boundary count was carefully orchestrated as a joint effort between Kenya and Tanzania. Several challenges were faced in previous surveys to count the border area of Serengeti in Tanzania and Masaimara in Kenya but this year it has been a success.
According to the report, the surveys mainly aimed at determining the current population of Buffaloes and Elephants and document their distribution across the Mara-Serengeti ecosystems of Tanzania and Kenya. The surveys also aimed at recording their population trends.
Strict International standards were applied in the survey with extremely experienced flight and observation team of professionals, excellent came, voice recorders and GPS to ensure correct counting of herds. The report further show that most Elephants counted in Serengeti side of Tanzania were in protected areas, suggesting that pressure from the periphery is evident.
The increase in the number of elephants in Serengeti National Park of Tanzania and Masai Mara National Park in Kenya is a great opportunity for the development of tourism in East Africa. Many tourists from all over the world will visit East Africa not only for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda but also other wildlife viewing in Kenya and Tanzania. The governments of East African are advised to improve their marketing strategies as one way to attract tourists into East Africa.
