Human Impact on the Serengeti

Sources: http://www.fredhoogervorst.com/photo/30335d/

                                             http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320712000237

Locations where agriculture is beginning to encroach on the protected land of the Serengeti

           Today, the Serengeti ecosystem is about 40% of what it historically was—much of this has to do with the development of agriculture and settlements. There are twenty tribes living around or in close proximity to the protected, and the increasing population causes a need for more development to sustain the population, which in turn deteriorates the Serengeti. For example, agriculture is taking over some parts of the Serengeti National Park and the Maasai Game Reserve, mining settlements are interfering with the migration path of some animals, and mechanized agriculture has taken over where wildebeests would historically breed their calves. This has caused a loss of habitat for many species in the Serengeti (5).

Data Source: Campbell, K.L.I., and M. Loibooki. Game meat hunting in the Serengeti: A problem of sustainable livelihoods. Tech. Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich. 25 Nov. 2012 <http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d/PDF/Outputs/R7050a.pdf>.

Although the problem is largely reduced due to more strict control, poaching is still causing a decline in many animal populations in the Serengeti. The table above displays the prevalence of hunting animals as a major contributing factor of illegal human impact. Most of the people that enter the Serengeti and are arrested enter because of hunting. Poaching is the illegal hunting of game, and it remains as a problem for many species in the Serengeti such as the black rhinoceros (7). The animals in the Serengeti are protected, yet illegal poaching still takes place. Many researchers attribute this necessity for poaching to poor economic status among people living near the Serengeti who must use the valuables of the illegal animals to support themselves financially since in some cultures, there is a high demand for rare commodities such as the horn of the black rhinoceros (1). Besides poaching for valuables, bush meat is also a problem. Some people hunt animals illegally to be eaten because they lack protein; this is also attributed to poor economic status and an increase in population near the Serengeti (6).

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/new-highway-would-cut-the-serengeti-in-half

Sometimes tourism can interfere with the animals' natural habitats.        

One aspect of human impact has both pros and cons for the environment; it is tourism. The many benefits of tourism include bringing in revenue for conservation as well as bringing awareness to the cause of conservation. It is important that people visit the Serengeti because many that visit are inspired to be concerned for the well-being of the wildlife in the ecosystem (2). With its benefits, tourism also has some costs. To tour the Serengeti and see the game reserves, roads need to be built for people to drive through the grasslands. These roads can disturb the habitats of some animals and interfere with the migration of some others as well as give more access to poachers. Environmental damage is also a problem due to vehicles; tracks can damage plants and animals as well as erode away grass and further causing soil erosion. There is also a controversy over water usage being diverted to tourists, which leaves plants, animals and indigenous people short of water (9).