Abstract
Utilization of wildlife resources generates a substantial amount of foreign revenue in many African countries, mainly via tourism. Trophy hunting is the most profitable form of consumptive wildlife utilization and this industry has grown rapidly during the last few decades. To optimize the amount of revenue derived from hunting, while assuring long-term sustainability, accurate census data are of fundamental importance. Without robust data on basic population parameters, the prospect of short-term economic yields may prevail, leading to over-exploitation and resource degradation. Unfortunately, observational data are often unreliable and typically biased, and thus an inadequate basis for quota allocation. Here, genetic methods and recent analytical advances offer reliable tools to monitor a wide range of population parameters. But despite their appeal, such methods have yet to become widely used by wildlife managers. The proposed project would implement a collaborative monitoring project between researchers based at the Swedish Agricultural University and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, in charge of all wildlife research in Tanzania. The logistical structure and knowledge transfer this project provides will increase the range of population assessment tools available to managers and researchers in Tanzania, and thereby directly promote sustainable resource use, preservation of biodiversity and economic development.
Sweden