In a rather strange development, baboons are now attacking domestic animals, especially goats, killing livestock for food in Longido.
The District suffers from prolonged drought spell with officials saying wild animals, including Monkeys, are migrating from their wilderness abodes, moving into residential areas looking for anything to eat.
Apparently they also turning hostile, threatening people and livestock.
In their quest for food and water, Lions, Hyenas and Leopards are currently attacking and killing livestock.
Elephants are reportedly also destroying the littles crops found on sun scorched farms.
But of more concern is the latest turn of events where Monkeys are turning into ferocious hunters, attacking and killing livestock.
The Primates invades households, targeting goats, sheep or chicken that they kill and devour with relish.
It is also becoming a matter of serious concern, as villagers worry that the monkeys may soon turn onto attacking people, especially small children.
The Longido District Official, Ali Msangi who also serves as economist at the Council, reveals that Human-Wildlife Conflict cases are on the rise in the precinct.
The semi-arid district is mapped within 7,885 square kilometers bordering Ngorongoro District, to the East, Monduli District to the South, Meru and Arusha-Rural in the Southeast.
Longido also borders the Siha District of Kilimanjaro, to the far east. It borders Kajiado Country of Kenya to the North.
Animals’ attacks in Longido are among the resulting effects of prolonged drought continue to take toll on both nature and the District.
“This year, the average rainfall for Longido dropped to less than 50 millimeters during the monsoon season,” revealed Msangi.
He explains that normally the District records between 500 and 900 millimeters of rain in a year.
The Longido District Economist was speaking in Arusha, during the launch of a special project which sets out to find and document natural and alternative ways.
The program is called ‘Forest, Water and Environment Conservation, Using Indigenous Knowledge.’
Msangi explained further that, hyenas, leopards and lions have also been invading households, snatching therein livestock creating a conservation ‘time bomb’ should the residents decide to retaliate.
“We have thus started documenting cases and numbers of livestock killed by wild beasts in order to come up with lasting solutions,” he reveals.
Surprisingly, in each household where members were being interviewed, reveal serious attacks from monkeys,
And as similar cases of Human-Wildlife conflicts arise around the Northern Zone, due to drought experts are resulting into natural and indigenous solutions.
One of the ways of addressing effects of climate change as defined through the newly launched project, is applying time-tested indigenous knowledge tapped from local communities.
Thus the launch of ‘Forest, Water and Environment Conservation, Using Indigenous Knowledge,’ at Lush Garden, was graced by the Regional Community Development Officer, Blandina Nkini.
Nkini was representing the Arusha Regional Commissioner, John Mongela.
“We have to use all means possible to intercept the effects of climate change, with environment protection becoming more than a crucial step,” the RC Statement pointed out.
The Project is implemented through the Media Aid for Indigenous and Pastoralist Community (MAIPAC).
It is executed in partnership with the Longido District Council, Ngorongoro District Council, Monduli District Council, Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF) and the Civic and Legal Aid Organization (CILAO).
The ‘Forest, Water and Environment Conservation, Using Indigenous Knowledge,’ project is supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through the GEF Small Grants Program.
Also in support is the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU)
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