TANZANIA is becoming more attractive to tourists worldwide as it is currently being promoted internationally, now emerging with two of its national parks as among the best five for viewing rhinoceros.
With the country boasting of having the oldest rhino, Vicky (49) after the death of Fausta, which was aged 57 and lived in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), two other tourism cites have been named.
One of them is Serengeti National Park whose ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa and is located in northern Tanzania, spanning approximately 30,000 square kilometres.
It hosts the second largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world, enabling it to secure the status of being one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and one of the 10 natural travel wonders of the world.
In one of its latest posts, ‘Signature Safaris’ named Serengeti as one of five best places where black rhino could be viewed.
“Today, there’s a partnership between Frankfurt Zoological Society and TANAPA (Tanzanian National Parks) to increase security and protect the species from rhino horn poaching … sightings of the rhino are possible in Serengeti National Park. Go at the right time of year,” said the institution.
It explained that tourists could also be able to witness the amazing phenomenon of the Great Wildebeest Migration; a chance to see thousands of mammals move across grassy plains and a chance to watch predators in action if they go at the right time of the year.
Another cited place is Mkomazi National Park that spans along Kilimanjaro and Tanga. It covers 3,500 square kilometres along the North Eastern border with Kenya.
“Here, the MRS (Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary) focuses its core efforts on a rhino breeding and protection programme. There are now ongoing monitoring and security patrols to deter poachers – plus there are various fundraising and sponsorship programmes available to help support the project,” it informs.
The park is formed by what were previously game reserves – the Umba Game Reserve in the east (Lushoto District, Tanga Region) and the Mkomazi Game Reserve in the west (Same District, Kilimanjaro Region).
Other places recommended for good view of one of the five extant species of oddtoed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae are Etosha National Park in Namibia where conservation is said to have been effective.
There is also Desert Rhino Camp found in Namibia where tourists could experience the wilderness.
The other viewing place is Okavango Delta in Botswana where in the 1970s, rhinos were said to be completely wiped out by illegal poachers, but in recent years, there has been a small scale reintroduction programme in the Okavango alongside the Kalahari Desert region.
Rhino once roamed the continents, throughout Eurasia and Africa, but today the incredible creatures are a fragile breed.
Rhinoceros are killed by some humans for their horns that are bought and sold on the black market and used by some cultures for ornaments or traditional medicine.
