The Maasai Steppe heartland of Tanzania is a breathtaking landscape of woodlands, bush land and open grasslands. Rare animals like African wild dog, the fringe-eared oryx, and the African lion call this vast area of over 10 million acres home – but populations of these species have dwindled in recent years due to conflicts with the Massai people who share 92 percent of this land.
Problems arise when these animals go in search of prey – and find it in the form of cattle, goats and sheep living on Massai homesteads. Especially affected are the big cats, with African lion populations in the area estimated to be as low as 450 remaining lions. In an effort to help promote a peaceful co-existence between humans and animals in the area, the African People & Wildlife Fund has been working overtime to find viable solutions.
One very successful initiative has been the creation of “Living Walls” (also known as a boma) that are now protecting approximately 25,000 head of livestock on a nightly basis and positively impacting nearly 2000 community members. These predator resistant enclosures consist of rows of planted trees reinforced with wire mesh fencing. The use of live trees as fence posts enhances the long-term sustainability of the enclosure by reducing the need to repetitively cut down thorn trees for “boma” maintenance – which then contributes to further habitat loss. Living Walls provide a win/win scenario that keeps cattle safe from lions – and lions out of the way of Massai spears.
Recently the organization celebrated the achievement of creating 100 Living Walls in the Massai Steppe area. With livestock safe at night, reduced lion-livestock conflict means better outcomes for the big cats.
In addition, the organization has created the Massai Steppe Conservation Education Program that reaches more than 100 rural school children annually. It is the largest program of its kind across the region and promotes instilling the tenants of conservation in Africa’s next generation of leaders. The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund is pleased to provide funding to these environmental camps and believes in the valuable work being done there.
