Impacts of Tourist Accommodation Facilities on Migratory Wildlife Species within Serengeti National Park, Northern Tanzania

Abstract

 Tourist accommodation facilities play an important role in facilitating tourism activities in many protected areas. Despite their significance, these facilities have several negative impacts on migratory wildlife species, particularly in Serengeti National Park (SNP). This study aimed to assess the effects of tourist accommodation on migratory wildlife species in the SNP, Northern Tanzania. Various methods were used for data collection, including field visits with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to gather location points of tourist facilities in hotspot areas. Additionally, desktop research was conducted to compile visitor influx statistics from the park's visitor database, and the movement and duration of stay of GPS-collared migratory animals, such as wildebeests and zebras, were analyzed. The findings revealed that 64% of the tourist accommodation facilities were situated in Seronera Valley, which hosted 84% of all tourists visiting the SNP. Furthermore, migratory wildlife species (zebras and wildebeests) spent less time in areas with a high concentration of tourist accommodations in Seronera Valley compared to Ndutu/South and Kogatende/Mara in the north. To address these issues, it is recommended to reduce or control the number of tourist accommodation facilities from the core of SNP to its periphery, develop and adopt eco-friendly practices within these facilities, and effectively utilize existing policies and regulations to promote harmonious coexistence between migratory wildlife species and tourist accommodations in the SNP.