Saving Selous African Icon Under Threat an Analysis for Wwf By
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© Getty Images / Guenter Guni ANALYSIS 2016 SAVING SELOUS AFRICAN ICON UNDER THREAT AN ANALYSIS FOR WWF BY WWF’S CALL FOR COLLECTIVE GLOBAL ACTION This document presents a story of threat and opportunity for one of Africa’s largest World Heritage Together we will sites. Based on historic trends of elephant poaching,1 by early 2022 we could see the last of Selous’ elephants • Stop industrial scale activities and gunned down by heavily armed and well trained achieve zero poaching of elephants in criminal networks that have turned poaching into an Selous by 2018. industrial scale global threat to conservation. WWF has spent 30 years working in East Africa, • Begin to realize the full social and including Tanzania,2 and now stands with the economic value that this World Heritage government, UNESCO, local communities, and our site provides to local, national and partners to address the industrial scale threats to Selous regional economies. Game Reserve that put 1.2 million people at risk. • Promote a model for We call on the public, the media and the international sustainable development. community to join us in achieving this urgent challenge: through a collaborative approach bringing together • Save our shared heritage. governments, local communities, industry and civil society groups, we can transform Selous into a success story in just a few short years. SELOUS GAME RESERVE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DRIVE INCREASED THE VALUE TOURISM IN TANZANIA TANZANIA HAS AN INCREDIBLY RICH TANZANIA’S TOURISM INDUSTRY IS AS ONE OF THE PRIMARY ATTRACTIONS RANGE OF NATURAL ATTRACTIONS THAT CURRENTLY CONCENTRATED IN THE IN SOUTHERN TANZANIA, SELOUS HAS DRAW OVER A MILLION TOURISTS EACH NORTH, BUT NATURAL ATTRACTIONS IN THE POTENTIAL TO SUPPORT INCREASED YEAR,3 AND GENERATE 17 PER CENT OF THE SOUTH HOLD HUGE POTENTIAL FOR TOURISM, AND TO DRIVE ECONOMIC TANZANIA’S GDP4 FURTHER EXPANSION DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION Tanzania’s tourism is predominantly Thus far, the tourism industry has Selous is the only site in southern nature-based, and includes world- largely focused on the northern circuit, Tanzania to have been awarded natural renowned assets such as the great which includes Mount Kilimanjaro World Heritage status, which means it plains of Serengeti National Park, and Serengeti National Park, while has “natural significance which is so Mount Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar’s the southern circuit has remained exceptional as to transcend national marine attractions. In 2014, travel relatively undeveloped. Tanzania’s boundaries and to be of common and tourism contributed almost US$5 south holds equally impressive natural importance for present and future billion to Tanzania’s GDP.5 The industry riches, including the Selous World generations of all humanity.”13 Upon directly and indirectly supports more Heritage site and Ruaha National its inscription as a World Heritage than 1.3 million jobs in Tanzania, or Park. Both boast an amazing array of site in 1982, Selous had one of the 12 per cent of total employment.6,7 rare and vulnerable species. Selous, most significant concentrations of Since 2008, the combined export for example is home to 12 per cent of African elephant, black rhinoceros, revenues from travel and tourism have all endangered African wild dogs,11 hippopotamus, giraffe and cheetah in exceeded those from the mining and and Ruaha shelters 10 per cent of the the world.14 Selous is one of the largest energy sector. Unlike the exports of world’s last remaining lions.12 remaining wilderness areas in Africa, minerals or agricultural commodities and is a top contributor of revenue where revenues are vulnerable to among game reserves in Tanzania. global price volatility, demand in the With careful management, Selous has tourism sector has been growing at the potential to generate increased a stable rate.8 By 2025, revenue from revenue in the future. tourism is projected to increase by over 90 per cent, and tourism will likely be the number one contributing sector to Tanzania’s GDP.9, 10 © Michale Poliza / WWF 2 - Saving Selous - African icon under threat INDUSTRIAL-SCALE POACHING AND OTHER HARMFUL INDUSTRIAL THE THREATS ACTIVITIES ARE THREATENING THE ECONOMIC, NATURAL AND SOCIAL VALUES OF SELOUS THE ELEPHANT POPULATION IN SELOUS IF THE HISTORIC TREND OF HARMFUL INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES, HAS BEEN DECIMATED BY INDUSTRIAL- INDUSTRIAL-SCALE POACHING INCLUDING OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION SCALE POACHING, WHICH PUTS AT RISK CONTINUES, ELEPHANTS COULD AND MINERAL EXTRACTION, POSE A ONE OF THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS FOR DISAPPEAR FROM SELOUS WITHIN THREAT TO THE WORLD HERITAGE SITE, LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS SIX YEARS PUT AT RISK ITS ABILITY TO SUPPORT In the mid-1970s, nearly 110,000 Since 1976, Selous has lost an average COMMUNITIES, AND COULD LEAD TO elephants lived within the boundaries of almost 2,500 elephants annually. INCREASED ELEPHANT POACHING of the Selous World Heritage site, but If this trend continues, elephants by 2007 the population was down could vanish from Selous by early As of February 2016, 75 per cent to 70,406 in the broader ecosystem, 2022.17,18 The elephant population of Selous is covered by oil and which extends beyond the reserve. in Selous is now near a historic low, gas concessions, and there are 54 According to a 2014 elephant census, and urgent measures are required to mining concessions across the only 15,217 individuals remain in the protect the remaining animals and reserve. Extractive industries cause Selous ecosystem.15 The rapid decline return the population to a stable and environmental degradation, including of elephants equates to a loss of almost sustainable size.19 the destruction of wildlife habitats in 90 per cent in fewer than 40 years. the immediate area around exploration During this period, poachers have sites. In 2012, the boundary of the been responsible for two waves of rapid Selous World Heritage site was modified depletion of elephant herds. The second to enable the construction of a large- wave occurred between 2010 and 2013 scale uranium mine in the southern area 20, 21 when an average of six elephants were of the reserve. Once operational, the killed every day by poaching syndicates mine is expected to produce about 60 throughout the Selous ecosystem.16 million tons of poisonous radioactive waste. Currently, there is no proven method to prevent contamination of surface and ground water, which are vital for both wildlife and nearby residents.22 The mine may also exacerbate the reserve’s wildlife crime. According to the company operating the facility, “poachers took advantage when we built a road to the deposit.”23 6 2022 75% BETWEEN IF THE TREND CONTINUES, 75 PER CENT 2010 AND 2013, 6 ELEPHANTS ELEPHANTS COULD OF SELOUS IS WERE KILLED IN SELOUS DISAPPEAR FROM SELOUS COVERED BY OIL AND EVERY DAY BY 2022. GAS CONCESSIONS Saving Selous - African icon under threat - 3 IN ADDITION TO EXTRACTIVE ACTIVITIES, FURTHER DEGRADATION OF THE PLANNED INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS RESERVE, AND A FAILURE TO POSE THREATS TO THE INTEGRITY OF INCREASE THE VULNERABLE WILDLIFE SELOUS, AS WELL AS ITS ABILITY TO POPULATIONS, WILL PRECLUDE SELOUS SUPPORT WILDLIFE AND LOCAL PEOPLE FROM SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION IN THE FUTURE For example, the Rufiji River and Selous currently generates US$6 its flooding pattern are essential to million in annual revenues, which sustaining wetlands and a fertile are distributed between the reserve, floodplain near the reserve. Around the national government, and more 150,000 people living nearby are than 1.2 million people living in dependent upon these areas for their the surrounding area.29 However, livelihoods,24 and they are also critical the income-generating potential of for supporting wildlife populations. If the site relies on its large wildlife constructed as planned, the Stiegler’s populations and pristine natural Gorge dam would control 95 per cent of ecosystems. The loss of elephants and the Rufiji River’s flow,25 and could flood the degradation of habitats reduces 1,100 square kilometres of Selous.26, Selous’ appeal to tourists, and also 27 This could pose a serious threat to threatens the vital ecosystem services the ability of the World Heritage site to that it provides to local communities, sustain animal populations.28 such as water provision and carbon sequestration.30 If left unchecked, harmful industrial activities and poaching will dramatically reduce the value of the reserve, making it difficult for the site to provide sufficient wildlife protection or to become economically self-sustaining. Without adequate 1.2 MILLION protection, the site could be used for 1,100 activities that are incompatible with MORE THAN 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE 1,100KM OF SELOUS conservation, resulting in Selous LIVE NEAR SELOUS AND COULD being stripped of its World Heritage COULD BE FLOODED BY status, which would reduce the income BENEFIT FROM SUSTAINABLE A DAM generated by the site. DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESERVE © Shutterstock / Attila Jandi Shutterstock / 4 - Saving Selous - African icon under threat WE MUST ACT NOW TO SAVE SELOUS, AND THE SUBSTANTIAL THE PATH BENEFITS IT COULD PROVIDE AT LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS FORWARD Immediate action is required 1. Valuation that is socially conscious. to save Selous’ elephants The Tanzanian government should conduct a full social-economic from poaching, to protect valuation to assess the direct, indirect and non-use values of Selous. This the reserve from harmful should include a strategic environmental assessment of the wider Selous industrial activities, and to ecosystem to assess the impact of the proposed activities on Selous. These position Selous as a driver assessments should be used to inform all decision-making going forward. of long-term sustainable development in Tanzania. 2. Investment decisions that focus on long-term value. The Tanzanian government should place equal value on the needs of There are a number of initiatives current and future generations, and favour activities that drive long-term in progress that provide solutions sustainable development and permanent job creation, such as carefully to poaching.