Tanzania Research and Conservation Organization, in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Management from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), conducted a baseline survey in villages adjacent to the South East of Ruaha National Park, to reveal the Knowledge, Attitude, and Ecological Realities of pangolins to Enhance its Conservation Practices. The project was funded by Sokoine University of Agriculture Research and Innovation Support (SUARIS)
The project identified Communities attitudes and believes toward pangolin, mapping spatial and temporal distribution of pangolin in villages adjacent to Ruaha National Park and Identifying use and trade pattern of pangolin and pangolin products in Communities adjacent to Ruaha National Park. Findings from this study used to provide appropriate recommendations and propose interventions that would help to conserve and protect pangolins from extinction.
TRCO is still sourcing funds to extend the ecological research and monitoring programs in other part of the Ruaha Rungwa Ecosystem. TRCO committed to conduct ecological research and monitoring programs to further understand the ecological realities of pangolin including knowledge, attitudes, believes, population structure, activity pattern and trade flow. Furthermore, to conduct community outreach programs and capacity building to create awareness about pangolin conservation and monitoring in the Ruaha Rungwa Landscape.
Publications
Three manuscripts are developed from this project, of which their titles are;
- Identification, attitude and beliefs toward pangolins in the Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem, Tanzania
- Spatial and temporal distribution of pangolins in Tanzania. Evidence of variation across land use types, human activities, and time
- Hunting pangolins: a case study of pangolin use and trade in the community adjacent to Ruaha National Park, Tanzania.
Researchers from TRCO team with Research assistants in preliminary data collection at Mafuluto village, which is adjacent to Ruaha National Park. The survey was conducted to explore the knowledge, products, uses and trade flow of pangolin in the Ruaha -Rungwa ecosystem [Photo; Jacob David, 2021]
Photo showing the pangolin scale, one of our respondents from Ruaha used to keep it inside his house for the purpose of good luck and protection against evil spirits. [Photo; Hillary Mrosso, 2021]