ANAPA sees numbers double to 14,400 per year

ANAPA’s Tourism officer Samweli Sakinoi said the number of tourists visiting the small wildlife sanctuary had gone up from 7,200 to 14,400 per year; meaning that every day the park used to get 20 tourists, but now the number has climbed to 40 daily.

He said many visitors come into the national park to see the white colobus which is unique only to the Arusha National Park, 25 km east of Arusha City, 58 km from Moshi and 35 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).

Sakionoi pointed out that despite the increasing number of tourists into park there were a few challenges including the closure of wildlife corridors that that have interfered with wildlife movements.

“And this is contributed by human settlements as the park is surrounded by 84 villages and human activities close to the park have driven the animals away,” he noted.

“Closure of the wildlife corridors has prevented many animals from entering and leaving the park. Animals have been decreasing and disappearing at a rate of 4.5 per cent at some stations,” he said.

“The park attracts various animals, among them white colobus, rarely found in other reserves in the country. Tourists who arrive at the Panda Reserve Arusha Mountains on horseback enjoy the lake view,” he said.

He noted that park authorities in collaboration with the regional and district administration had put plans in place to educate people on the importance of protected game reserves.

He said human activities had significantly increased in areas around the park, contributing to the disappearance of animals.

According to the Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB), the increased number of tourists in the country was imperative to the economy as it provided employment opportunities and government revenue.

Tanzania has three safari circuits and each one of them could make the country a top wildlife destination.

Arusha National Park covers Mount Meru, a prominent volcano with an elevation of 4566 metres, in the Arusha Region of north eastern Tanzania.
The park is small but varied with spectacular landscapes in three distinct areas. In the west, the Meru Crater funnels the Jekukumia River; the peak of Mount Meru lies on its rim.

Ngurdoto Crater in the south-east is grassland. The shallow alkaline Momella Lakes in the north-east have varying algal colours and are known for their wading birds.

Mount Meru is the second highest peak in Tanzania after Mount Kilimanjaro, which is just 60 km away and forms a backdrop to views from the park to the east.

Arusha National Park lies on a 300-kilometre axis of Africa's most famous national parks, running from Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in the west to Kilimanjaro National Park in the east.