Hoopoe &
Community Based Tourism
The Challenge
Wildlife and flora and traditional cultures are under
threat as never before in the face of shrinking land
resources, population growth, and external pressures.
The Maasai have followed a traditional lifestyle but
in the process have been left behind mainstream Tanzanian
development. Exploitative rather than Eco-friendly development
all too often replace the sustainable traditional ways
of life.
The casualties are the communities
that have through their traditional lifestyle and cultural
taboo against harming wildlife secured for mankind some
of the best and most spectacular concentrations of wildlife
left on the planet. In addition Maasai rangelands offer
one of the few remaining relatively undisturbed dispersal
areas for wildlife and have great bio diversity.
Therefore population increases and
the pressure to turn to alternative land uses threaten
Biodiversity, corridors and the dispersal zones that
are integral part of the survival of National parks.
The Maasai predicament
People in Maasailand are amongst the poorest in Africa
with a per capita income of less than $165.00. Cattle
are the mainstay of the area and their numbers have
declined since the 1970's due to drought and disease.
The human population is rising and
per capita holdings of cattle are now less than the
minimum required to meet their subsistence needs. Social
services, schools, clinics, water etc. are insufficient.
These areas are particularly special
~ a unique blend of scenery, culture and wilderness
(and even game in selected areas) make for a very unique
and special experience. Take a look at the following
links to discover more about our efforts in partnership
with Maasai communities:
Where Hoopoe operates
There are currently a number of core areas where Kirurumu
currently works closely with Maasai communities. We
have entered into Community Based Tourism Agreements
with a number of Maasai villages that are becoming a
means for them of escaping the poverty trap they have
been in and thereby helping to secure wildlife corridors
and dispersal areas. Each of these areas is scenically
superb and exclusive core areas which we like to call
Private Wilderness Areas.
These areas are:
Exclusivity & Wilderness
In these areas the combination of exclusivity, wilderness,
cultural interaction and game is a unique and experience
intensive. For the first time visitor to Tanzania these
can be a far richer experience than a ‘normal’
safari, off the beaten track and so on, and for the
seasoned Africa visitor these areas can be an entire
safari in their own right.
Thereafter we are currently working
in much the same way in the rift valley area, whereby
we have access to some core areas which are forest reserves,
and these are fit particularly well with more ‘regular’
safaris, such that a couple of days can be spent hiking
and fly camping away from the normal tourist routes,
being led by Maasai guides and seeing a unique perspective
to Tanzania (request fly camping from Kirurumu Tented
Lodge for these options). Two such areas are:
- Silela Forest Reserve
- Mt. Losimingori Forest Reserve
How do communities and wildlife
benefit?
Our exclusive areas are exclusive because we pay a significant
annual fee to secure sole access to those areas. The
annual fee is part of a larger contract, and within
these contracts are agreements to work towards the protection
of the local wildlife and environment through protection
of certain areas and restriction of certain types of
activity, such as agriculture. The communities then
receive direct benefits in terms of employment of local
guides, scouts, guards, as well as direct per guest
per day fees, which all go towards the local community.
Hence, there is a positive and ongoing relationship
between non-consumptive tourism, conservation and community
development.
Why should I visit these areas?
- To experience Pristine wilderness
- Cultural interaction with the people
that live in these lands
- Contribute to the ongoing sustenance
of fragile inter relationships between conservation
and community development
- To have a unique and special safari
experience
Also see our company operating policy
here.
For more information on development efforts see here.
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