Arusha national park faces a potential gene pool crisis

 

By Zephania Ubwani

Summary

·         A gene pool is a sum of collections of different genes with an interbreeding of the population of a particular species of animals.

Arusha. Arusha National Park, a game sanctuary that is closest to the country’s tourism hub, is in danger of losing its gene pool.

Besides the falling number of top predators, long term survival of the wild animals is feared to be at stake in the absence of genetic exchange with others outside the protected area.

“The gene pool will be severely affected for lack of connectivity of the animals with other sites,” warned William Mwakilema, the Commissioner General of Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa).

He said the wildlife corridors that used to connect the animals in the park with adjacent ecological zones have either shrunk or have been totally blocked.

He attributed the scenario to increased human activities along the paths that were designated as wildlife migration routes. He added that the 322 square kilometre park, with towering Mount Meru as its distinct feature, could soon lose its ecological niche should the menace persist.

“Wildlife corridors are important for movement of animals in search of food and genetic exchange,” he told The Citizen on the sidelines of a meeting on Sustainable Tourism.

He further warned that the trend could lead to the ‘suffocated’ park losing its gene pool in the absence of genetic exchange between animals and the adjacent ecology.

A gene pool is a sum of collections of different genes with an interbreeding of the population of a particular species of animals.

While a large gene pool has extensive genome diversity that is able to withstand ecological challenges, the opposite is the case with a smaller gene pool. Mr. Mwakilema said although the animal population at the Arusha NP remains stable, blocking of the wildlife corridors could lead to genetic depletion in the sanctuary.

Wildlife experts say movement of animals due to shrinking animal corridors impacted on the transfer of animal and plant genes to other ecosystems.

In ecological context, this is seen as “dangerous” as it can lead to death of some animal species that cannot move out of the park in search of forage or inbreeding.

Ultimately, the population of the impacted species will dwindle as their counterparts which traditionally used to gain entry during some seasons are blocked.

With genetic depletion, the limited gene pool of the animal species that, mostly those endangered, diminishes and ultimately die off.

The park, located some 27 kilometres north east of Arusha city, is small in size compared with other parks but is rich with the common wild animals.

These include giraffe, cape buffalo, zebra, warthog, monkeys, elephants, bushbucks, leopard and many others. The park is also rich in bird life.

However, the Tanapa boss noted that the protected area has lost its top predators; the lions and hyenas while the leopards are rarely seen.

He alluded that he was not talking ‘rocket science’ when discussing the threat to the park’s gene pool but wanted to highlight rising concerns on the shrinking wildlife corridors.

“The solution is simple. Wildlife corridors should be protected as per the law to enable them play their ecological role” he pointed out.

He also rooted for increased awareness creation among the communities living closer to the protected areas to abide by the law.

He added that blocking of the animal migration routes has also fueled the human-wildlife conflicts in many parts of the country.