Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE government has cleared the air on ban of export of live wildlife, maintaining its position of continuing to protect the country’s wild animals among other resources. Similarly, the ban has been lifted for wild animals for research and those endorsed by top leaders as gifts for diplomatic purposes under specified arrangements.
Deputy Minister for Natural Resource and Tourism, Ms Mary Masanja, disclosed here on Thursday while clarifying on the matter. Ms Masanja noted that there has been false information circulating in the various social media platforms on government lifting ban of exports of live wildlife, something which is not true.
“Reference for exports in the past few days was made on live animals stored in stables, when the government imposed a ban on March 17, 2016,” said Ms Masanja.
She pointed out that a three months grace period will be issued for the exporters, who possessed the animals in their custody before the ban came into effect then.
She, however, noted that implementation on some recommendations that have been given will be effected once the ministry responsible issues an official order and outline required procedures through a Government Notice.
Hinting on the recommended wild animals, Ms Masanja said exports carried out within the grace period involves invertebrates and animals such as birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians, accounting for 617 species under the exporters’ custody.
According to her, the decision has been reached after an evaluation was conducted by the government on the business which showed some illegal businesses were being conducted, including transporting protected wildlife in the name of the business.
In resolving the long-term issue following the wide spread concern, the ministry formed a special team to advise the government on best ways to rescue the situation. Ms Masanja observed that a total of 173.2m/- had been compensated to exporters as levies and fees paid before the ban was issued.
She revealed that the government arrived at the decision of imposing the ban after discovering irregularities in the business, including transportation of protected wild animals abroad.
Such a decision had sparked anger from exporters who complained that the ban was a surprise decision to them. Currently, she revealed, the government is preparing a new arrangement whereby wild animals exports will be those that have been added value through drying and packaged or their products.
“The arrangement will be carried out by the exporters with projects related to wild animals in the wake of encouraging wildlife rearing within the country,” she noted. Equally, the business is anticipated to boost investment in wildlife rearing as well as the protection of the tourism sector.
Ms Masanja stressed that more tourists will be attracted to come and visit Tanzania to see live wild animals in their natural settings. On the other hand, the arrangement will help reduce costs of conservation of live wildlife and the whole value chain benefiting many Tanzanians, from the animal trapper, experts and the exporters.
Elaborating on export of wildlife for diplomatic purposes, she revealed that it was a normal arrangement whereby top leaders gift their foreign counterparts or their representatives to strengthen existing diplomatic relations.
She said the authority usually decides the kind and quantity of the wild animals intending to be issued as gifts in accordance with international principles. Besides, the ministry through the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) holds the mandate to endorse transportation of wild animals for scientific research purposes after receiving such applications.
Such wildlife can be in the form of live animals or samples including blood, waste, bones and tissues.
“Export of the animals involves wildlife of all nature, considering all international principles that have been ratified by the country,” she said
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