GERMANY DONATES SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT TO SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Today, the German Ambassador to Tanzania handed over an aircraft to the Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism. The Husky aircraft will be deployed by Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) for surveillance of the Serengeti National Park to support TANAPA’s fight against poaching.

„We are seeing the large mammals of our protected areas under a severe threat of local extinction because of poaching,“ said Minister Jumanne Maghembe on the occasion of the handover in Seronera. He thanked the German government for the support in countering the recent upsurge in poaching.

“Stringent law enforcement, community involvement and ecosystem management are key in the fight against poaching”, said the German Ambassador Egon Kochanke. “I am very proud to be able to hand this aircraft over to the Tanzanian authorities and FZS. This is an important cornerstone of our close and longstanding cooperation.”

Frankfurt Zoological Society will operate the aircraft in close cooperation with the Serengeti National Park Authority. With aerial support, poacher camps and illegal activities can be detected and the pilots can provide critical information to reaction forces on the ground.

Tanzanian wildlife authorities are faced with a dramatic upsurge of poaching threatening the country’s populations of elephants and rhinos. To counter this threat and to support wildlife and habitat monitoring, the German Government through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has provided funding for the acquisition of three aircraft.

The other two Husky A-1C Aircraft will be deployed in the Tanzanian Selous Game Reserve and the Zambian North Luangwa National Park. The Husky is well suited for monitoring and anti-poaching surveys as it operates at low heights and slow speeds.

This support is part of longer-term financial and technical development cooperation measures implemented by FZS, GIZ, KfW, in collaboration with Tanzania Wildlife Authority TAWA, Tanzania National Parks TANAPA, and the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife DNPW.

Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Prof. Jumanne Maghembe (right) receive Germany Ambassador in Tanzania Egon Kochanke during the handing over event of the Husky Surveillance aircraft to Serengeti National Park over the weekend.

The Husky surveillance aircraft donated by Germany to Serengeti National Park to enhance patrol activities.

Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Prof. Jumanne Maghembe greet Serengeti National Park Tourism Warden Godson Kimaro during the handing over event.

Germany Ambassador in Tanzania Egon Kochanke (2nd left) delivering his speech during the handing over event. Others in the picture from left are Serengeti Chief Park Warden William Mwakilema, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Pro. Jumanne Maghembe and Director General of TANAPA Allan Kijazi.

Germany Ambassador Hon. Egon Kochanke (2nd left) handing over a certificate of ownership of the Husky surveillance aircraft donated to Serengeti National Park to the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Pro. Jumanne Maghembe. Others in the picture are FZS Program Manager for Africa Gerald Bigurube, Acting Director General of TAWA Martin Loibooki, TANAPA Director General Allan Kijazi, Serengeti Chief Park Warden William Mwakilema and TANAPA Director of Tourism and Marketing Ibrahim Mussa.