of the worlds greatest spectacles, The great migration in Kenya and Tanzania. But this could end in a matter of years, the Tanzanian authorities have just approved the construction of a commercial highway across the Serengeti National Park to develop the northern and western towns along Lake Victoria. Executive Director of WildlifeDirect, Dr. Paula Kahumbu, interviewed renowned conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, to understand the consequences of a strip of tarmac across the path of millions of migrating animals, and discusses the alternative options that the Tanzanian authorities have for development in this impoverished region.
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Piece Description
of the worlds greatest spectacles, The great migration in Kenya and Tanzania. But this could end in a matter of years, the Tanzanian authorities have just approved the construction of a commercial highway across the Serengeti National Park to develop the northern and western towns along Lake Victoria. Executive Director of WildlifeDirect, Dr. Paula Kahumbu, interviewed renowned conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, to understand the consequences of a strip of tarmac across the path of millions of migrating animals, and discusses the alternative options that the Tanzanian authorities have for development in this impoverished region.
Transcript
It’s early July 2010 and the wildebeest migration has just started, over a million wildebeest and zebra are expected to flood into Kenya’s Masai Mara from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park crossing crocodile infested rivers, and dodging lions and other predators. The 'Great Wildebeest Migration, as it’s come to be known' has been occurring every year, at about the same time for thousands of years. The Wildebeest, zebras and other plains game take a journey of over 2,000km in search of grazing. The time they reach southern Kenya, the Masai plains are swarming with fantastic concentrations of wildlife.
The great migration attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to both Kenya and Tanzania, but conservationists say that this global spectacle is in danger. The Tanzanian authorities have just approved the construction of a highway across the Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, it cuts...
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Intro and Outro
INTRO:The Tanzanian authorities plans to construct a commercial highway right across one of the worlds most famous protected areas, the Serengeti National Park. Conservationists fear that it will bring an end to the Great Wildebeest Migration. WildlifeDirect’s Paula Kahumbu interviews renowned conservationist, Richard Leakey about the project and why it threatens a globally important heritage.
OUTRO:Richard Leakey argues that it's not either the highway or the migration, and that the migration is an essential part of development for Tanzania. He warns that the Tanzanian authorities risk losing their environmentally friendly reputation, and advises that they get creative about the route or design of the highway that allows the migration to continue while developing the region and bringing benefits to the local communities. You can add your opinion to teh debate on WildlifeDirect.org
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