Challenges Facing Ruaha National Park Conservation and Management: A Review Paper

SIRIMA Agnes Anthony

Abstract: The efforts to achieve sustainable wildlife management are confronted with severe challenges. Many wildlife species are under threat, and some have become extinct, due to a variety of causes. This paper presents a review of the challenges facing Ruaha National Park in Tanzania and provides key considerations towards sustainable wildlife management of the park. Review of literature was conducted focusing on all publications discussing about the park. Central focus of the review was the challenges facing the park. Document analysis was performed based on categorizing challenges. Results indicate that main challenges facing the park include habitat loss, water scarcity, poaching, human encroachment and poor accessibility. Given the nature and diversity of challenges, cross - sectoral approaches need to be adopted in order to attain sustainable wildlife management by involving all land - user groups in the wildlife habitat to be aware of their activities and actions, and the impacts they generate.

Keywords: wildlife management, conservation challenges, Ruaha national park