Over 500 wild animals killed by motorists in northern Tanzania in 2019

At least 588 wild animals, including lions and giraffes, were killed by motorists in 2019 as they crossed roads within the Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks ecosystem in northern Tanzania, a statement has said.

The statement by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism said the knockdown of the wild animals was mainly caused by lack of road signs that cautioned drivers over the presence of the wild animals.

Following the killings of the animals by motorists, Constantine Kanyasu, the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, ordered relevant authorities to fix road signs in the area that alerted motorists over the presence of the animals, said the statement.

The statement said Kanyasu made the order to fix road signs to the Tanzania National Parks Authority and the Tanzania National Roads Agency in a meeting with wildlife conservation experts held in Babati district in Arusha region that discussed ways of protecting wildlife corridors.

On the protection of the wildlife corridors, Kanyasu directed the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to form a task force to guard wildlife corridors.