Former Tanzanian Army General to run Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Former Tanzanian Army General to run Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Former Tanzanian Army General to run Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The General will be overseeing and advising the management on protecting and conserving the wildlife and the heritage in the area

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Venance Mabeyo to chair the Board of the management of Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) in northern Tanzania.

A statement issued by the President’s Office in Dar es Salaam said that General Mabeyo’s appointment was effective last week after his retirement from military service.

The General will be responsible for overseeing and advising the management of the Conservation Area on strategies that would help to protect and conserve the African wildlife and the heritage in the area – one among the most attractive tourist hotspots on the continent.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, due to its fame and global impact on conservation and the history of man after the milestone discovery of early human remains at Olduvai Gorge, within the Conservation Area.

Famous British anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey and his wife Mary have discovered the skull of the Early Man at Olduvai Gorge in 1959 with other archaeological discoveries following in later years.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area lies in the North-West of Tanzania and is a part of the wider Serengeti ecosystem, shared with Kenya for wildlife movements, mostly the annual wildebeest migration of about 1.5 wildebeests.

The Conservation Area covers 8,292 square kilometers, and is among the leading tourist hotspots in Africa.

Discovery of the skull of the Early Man at Olduvai Gorge and Footprints at Laetoli had attracted several scientific researches to determine whether the first Human being was created or lived in the Conservation Area.

Recent scientific research had indicated that Great Apes or precursors to the modern human being have occupied the area three million (3 million) years ago. Ngorongoro Conservation Area is now part of prehistory in Africa and the world.

Main attraction of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the famous World Wonder – Ngorongoro Crater. It is the world’s largest unflooded and unbroken volcanic caldera formed between two and three million years ago, when a huge volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself.

The crater which is now a visitors’ hotspot and a magnet to world class tourists, is regarded as a Natural Sanctuary for wild creatures living below its 2000 feet high walls which separate it with the rest of the conservation area.

Geographical setup of the Ngorongoro Crater limits the wildlife movement in and out, though some animals climb the rim for pastures or other natural causes. Most animals wish to stay in the crater as the conditions are favorabe due to good amounts of rain and sun per year with green grass the year round.

There are more than 25,000 large mammals living in the crater. Lush green vegetation surrounding the crater rim attracts a vast number of animals which feed on the short grasses of the crater floor. These include wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, buffaloes, elands and hartebeests.

In the swamp lands within the Crater, elephant, rhino, waterbuck and bushbuck all reside inside. Grazing animals are found in open areas with short grasses. Predators live and thrive within the crater. 

Among them are leopards, hyenas and jackals which can be found stalking on the crater floor.

Known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, Ngorongoro Conservation Area boasts with a blend of landscapes, wildlife, people and archaeology that is unsurpassed in Africa. 

The Conservation Area covers an area of huge and expanse highland plains, scrub bush and forests covering 8,300 square kilometres under protection.

Ndutu and Masek, both alkaline soda lakes, are home to rich game populations and surrounded by peaks and extinct volcanoes which create a stunning backdrop and a beautiful landscape to attract tourists.

Game viewing is truly incredible with the views of the surrounding Crater Highlands.

The Ngorongoro Crater and the Conservation Area are without a doubt one of the most beautiful parts of Tanzania and Africa, steeped in history and teeming with wildlife.

Hiking treks through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are becoming increasingly popular options. The Crater Highlands is an unforgettable part of the Tanzanian and African safari experience.

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Avatar of Apolinari Tairo - eTN Tanzania

Apolinari Tairo - eTN Tanzania

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