SFS3121: African Large Carnivores: Ecology and Conservation

This course will focus on the behavioral ecology and conservation challenges facing large carnivores in Africa using Northern Tanzania as a case study. SFS center for wildlife management studies in Tanzania is an ideal location to explore the ecological and human aspects of large carnivore conservation. The center is located between the Ngorongoro-Serengeti (NSE) and Tarangire-Manyara (TME) ecosystems in northern Tanzania. Both ecosystems have largely intact carnivore guilds that occur within and outside the protected areas. The large carnivores are one of the main attractions to a vibrant photographic tourism industry. In addition, large carnivores attract high premiums among the trophy hunters in the area. Despite the high economic values, carnivores in northern Tanzania are under immense threats from human-related effects such as habitat loss, and conflicts with pastoralists. In order to address these challenges, large carnivores have attracted high interest among conservationists and scientists in Northern Tanzania. African wild dogs, African lions, spotted hyenas, cheetahs and leopards have received high attention due to their charismatic appeal and the manifold threats facing them. Among those species, lions and leopards are among the big five and are highly sought after by tourists. In order to address the conservation threats and better understand the ecology of these large carnivore species in Northern Tanzania, several conservation and research projects have been initiated. These include: The Tarangire Lion Research Project in Tarangire/Manyara National Parks and the surrounding areas, Kope Lion project in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and species-specific projects in Serengeti National park focusing on lion, cheetah, spotted hyena and African wild dog.

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