Tanzanian college establishes wildlife forensic lab to fight poaching

An elephant killed by poachers for its ivory. Tanzania's long-time wildlife training college said on Tuesday it has established an ultra-modern forensic lab that can be used for training as well as addressing rampant poaching. PHOTO/FILE

In Summary
In 2012, nearly 10,000 elephants were killed by poachers in Tanzania, which made it one of the leading countries in East and Central Africa in poaching activities.
He noted that poaching has been a challenge across East Africa and Africa at large, revealing that even Kenya is also planning to establish similar lab.
 By XINHUA
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Tanzania's long-time wildlife training college said on Tuesday it has established an ultra-modern forensic lab that can be used for training as well as addressing rampant poaching in the country's national parks and game reserves.

Located on the slopes of Africa's highest peak Mount Kilimanjaro, the College of African Wildlife Management (CAWM), also known as Mweka, set up the lab in an effort to take part in the war against poaching.

Speaking at an international conference on the challenges affecting African wildlife and tourism, Dr. Freddy Manongi, the acting rector of CAWM, said the facility will support forensic and DNA analysis that helps in forensic investigation on case involving wildlife.

Manongi described poaching as a deadly challenge that threatens wildlife in Africa and tourism.

In 2012, nearly 10,000 elephants were killed by poachers in Tanzania, which made it one of the leading countries in East and Central Africa in poaching activities.

The rector said sometimes it become very difficult for courts to prove on whether someone has involved in killing wild animals or not.

"That's what made us to thought beyond the curtain on the need to come up with such training on forensic science...and this go hand in hand with an ultramodern forensic lab that will be used to provide practical evidences on the vice," Manongi said.

"As we celebrating our 50th anniversary, there are number of challenges facing the wildlife sector nowadays, that's why we see forensic lab as a vital anti-poaching tool, though it takes place after the poaching incident," he said.

Prof. George Otiang'a-Owiti, Principle of the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) training institute, commended the the forensic lab as a new approach in fighting against poaching.

He noted that poaching has been a challenge across East Africa and Africa at large, revealing that even Kenya is also planning to establish similar lab.

Established in 1963 as a pioneer institution for the training of African wildlife managers, CAWM has trained over 5,000 wildlife managers from over 52 countries worldwide, the majority are working in protected areas throughout sub-Saharan Africa.