DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Decreased water levels in the Tarangire River is posing a threat to the survival of wild animals at Tarangire National Park in northern Tanzania, authorities said on Sunday.
Allan Kijazi, the Director General of the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), said wild animals in the park may face extinction in years to come if necessary measures were not taken to rescue Tarangire River from drying up.
Existence of animals and other living organisms at Tarangire National Park depend mostly on the river, which is currently facing reduced water levels.
"Water levels at Tarangire River are alarmingly low and this is threatening the existence of wild animals at the national park," Kijazi told members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism on a visit to the park.
The water levels, he said, have fallen dramatically due to increased human economic activities along the main source of Tarangire River at Kondoa district in Dodoma region.
"We are calling upon parliament and the government to ensure that the source of Tarangire River is protected. If this is not taken into consideration, the lives of animals will be in danger," he said.
A warden at Tarangire National Park, Herman Bitaho, said water levels have not improved despite an increase in the amount of rainfall.
"If water levels go down further, animals will be forced to go out in search of the vital liquid to quench their thirst as well as pasture. This may result into some catastrophic outcomes on lives of people around the national park," he said.
The chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism, Kemilembe Luota, said although the decrease of water levels in the river could be caused by global warning, TANAPA's alarm should not be ignored.
She said it was important for the government to revisit the importance of national parks to the economy and make sure that economic activities along the river do not interfere with the ecological system.
