Alex W. Kisingo College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka Governance and compliance failures in fighting illegal ivory trade: Perspectives from Tanzania Alex W. Kisingo College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka

Introduction to the plight of African elephants The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is facing a greatest crisis due to a surge in illegal ivory trade despite a ban by CITES Growing concern that Tanzania is a leading source and a trafficking route for ivory to South-East Asian markets Population declining in major strongholds eng. Selous ecosystem from > 60,000 in 2006 to about 13,000 in November 2013 (TAWIRI, 2010, 2013)

Positive efforts by Tanzania Protected areas covering nearly 40% of the land cover Establishment of anti poaching units in protected areas and in 8 zones Some efforts into decentralization of wildlife management “CBNRM” into a collaborative management with communities outside core PAs

Lack of capacity by PA agencies to police wildlife resources Area Size of area to be covered Number of personnel in protection departments Number of vehicles Ngorongoro District Council Over 4000Km2 of Game Controlled Area and Forest Reserves 9 1 Antipoaching Unit – Western Zone Four regions of Tanzania 16 3 working out of 8 Rukwa-Ukwati Game Reserve 8700Km2 including the Katavi National Park 40 Only 2 working for field works for Rukwa-Lukwati GR Udzungwa-Mountains National Park 1990Km2 62 Source: Key informant interviews 2013

Protected Areas in the Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania

Eeffectiveness of governance approaches in Serengeti as perceived by communities Most of the PAs scored weakly on governance Even what is considered Community-based PAs did not perform any better on governance than more traditional Pas suggesting lack of governance authorities by the community

Governance linkages are mixed Disconnection of communities from wildlife resources More linkages between PA management agencies than with the communities Serengeti National Park Ngorongoro Conservation Area Management Game Reserves Game Controlled Area Wildlife Manageme nt Areas District Council and Administration Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism Forest Division Prime Minister’s Office for Regional Administration and Local Governments TANAPA Management and Board of Trustees NCAA Board of Trustees Ngorongoro Conservation Area Pastoral Council Village Council and Committees Wildlife Division Ward Developmen t Committees Communicative relationship that is formal. Thickness of the line indicates the strength of communication Collaborative relationship, not necessarily formal. Thickness of the line indicates the strength of collaboration Governance linkages are mixed Strong presence of bio-physical connectivity but weak governance connectedness

Challenges & way forward The problems in Tanzania are not with the strictness of the laws but rather on their implementation Wildlife is still considered a state property thus discouraging/disconnecting communities from fighting poaching and illegal ivory trade unlike the past when wildlife was in the hands of local tribal leaders and some were sacred This disconnection of wildlife ownership from communities has resulted into proliferation of corruption from the arrest of poachers to their acquittal in courts of law Improve capacity for law-enforcement through decentralization of wildlife and protected area governance to communities to tap on community support in these efforts