Tanzania’s latest national wildlife census for the 2024/2025 period has revealed a sharp decline in the giraffe gazelle, locally known as “swala twiga,” making it the only wildlife species currently facing a high risk of extinction in the country.

The findings, released on Wednesday, attributed the decline to habitat destruction and loss driven by expanding human activities, including encroachment for settlement, livestock grazing and illegal hunting for bush-meat.

The species is now largely confined to limited areas in northern Tanzania, including Mkomazi National Park, Lake Natron and the West Kilimanjaro wildlife corridors.

Eblate Mjingo, director general of the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, said a special conservation program is urgently needed to boost the species’ population before it disappears.

He added that the government, in collaboration with stakeholders, plans to allocate funds for close monitoring over the next three years.

Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism Ashatu Kijaji warned that increasing human activity in critical ecosystems poses a growing threat, intensifying human-wildlife conflicts.

She called for further research on land use and wildlife corridors, particularly in the Longido area, to guide conservation decisions and protect endangered species such as the giraffe gazelle.

• A Tell Media / Xinhua report
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