Serengeti General Management Plan

F. Park Operations Programme
In order to cope up with the increasing challenges for resource protection, SENAPA management
will revise its strategies to take on board new innovative ways that will strike a
proper balance between the needs of adjacent communities and other stakeholders and the
preservation of park resources. In order to meet this target, seven management actions have
been formulated and are described below.
Action 1.1.1: Provide modern equipment for anti-poaching activities
Anti-poaching operations are high risk and dangerous, therefore it is critical that the rangers
are properly equipped to maximise their safety as well as their effectiveness. As identified in
Table F.1 above, the resources available at certain ranger posts are insufficient for effective
anti-poaching operations. This action will ensure that all the park ranger posts are properly
supplied with the working equipment needed to conduct their law enforcement activities and
that this equipment is maintained to a high standard.
Action 1.1.2: Carry out an assessment of new anti-poaching techniques and implement
pilots
In recent years a great deal of progress has been made to develop techniques in conservation
that utilise emerging technologies, such as GIS and night visioning. This action will assess
these techniques in order to see how they can best support the Park anti-poaching efforts;
including the special needs of species protection, such as for the Black rhino. Promising
new or improved technologies will be tested through a rigorous piloting, before scaling up
for adoption across the Park.
Action 1.1.3: Establish cooperation with traditional leaders in raising local community
awareness
Enlisting the cooperation and support of local communities will be an important preventative
approach that the Resource Protection Department will adopt in tackling the threat of poaching.
By forming better relationships with the local communities, it is hoped that progress will
be made to change the attitudes that lead to poaching practices. This action will concentrate
on building awareness amongst the neighbouring communities of the national and international
conservation importance of the park resources and establishing a sense of ownership
for their conservation. This will principally be achieved by strengthening the relationship and
trust with the traditional leaders and encouraging them to instil discipline and responsibility in
their young members towards conservation of park resources.
Action 1.1.4: Liaison with Community Outreach Department in building ranger -
local community cooperation and reward schemes regarding anti-poaching activities
Building on the relationships and trust established between the local communities and the
rangers under Action 1.1.3, this management action will seek innovative ways to encourage
and reward communities who support the anti-poaching efforts of the Resource Protection
Department. These activities along with the next action will be done in close collaboration of
the Community Outreach Department (see Community Outreach Action 2.1.3).
Action 1.1.5: Provide support to village governments in training VGS for protection
of community conserved areas
It is recognised that the Resource Protection Department, at its current size and with the existing
poaching levels, will never be able to adequately protect all the resources under its responsibility.
In fact, it is unlikely that there will ever be sufficient resources to achieve this
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