Tanzania Wildlife and Economy
Animals and Plants
Diverse flora of Tanzania
The flora of Tanzania is very diverse. There is almost everything here, from the scree desert of lava to the eternal ice in the mountains of the Kilimanjaro Glacier. But most of the country is dominated by dry forests and savannas. There are also tropical rainforests in the mountains in the south and west.
The savannas differ again in grasslands and tree savannas. These trees are mostly acacias, but you will also find the funny-looking baobabs with their very special fruits.
Palm trees and mangroves
As you approach the coast, you will see palm trees, which are an important source of food for the Tanzanians. They use them to create fats, oils and soaps and sell these products to increase their income. The island of Zanzibar is known for its spices. Mango trees thrive on the coast, and children especially love their fruits.
The mangroves, which are important to fortify the coasts, also spread to the coastal regions. The coasts remain stable thanks to the mangrove trees. But as more and more trees are being cut down and made into charcoal, the population is threatened. This also threatens the coasts. In storms, the sea quickly makes its way inland and the land remains defenseless.
Protection for Tanzania’s wildlife
Many animal species live in Tanzania. This is also due to the many national parks that the Tanzanians take care of. Many tourists visit the national parks to see the animals, bringing in money and jobs. Since someone has to take care of the tourists and they should live somewhere, many people benefit from it. With this money people can protect the animals again, which is also an important thing. One example of this is one of the most famous African national parks: the Serengeti National Park.
The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
In the Serengeti – National Park, the largest contiguous group lives in wildlife. Big cats are represented with lions, leopards and cheetahs. Jackals and African wild dog represent the dogs. Chimpanzees, baboons and monkeys are just a few of the many species of monkeys that frolic in the park. Several species of antelope gallop across the savannah. Rhinos, hippos and warthogs also live here
Meerkats, giant hedgehogs, mongooses and elephant mice are among the smaller representatives of the park’s inhabitants. Not to forget the reptiles like the crocodiles on the waters and snakes like mambas, cobras or pythons. Over 1000 species of birds have been counted, ostriches, herons, flamingos, birds of prey and pelicans are just a few.
Where is the largest crater in the world?
On the edge of the Serengeti, you can visit the Ngorongoro Nature Reserve. It is one of the largest protected areas in all of Africa. The area is famous for the Ngorongoro Crater, which is the largest crater in the world. Lions, elephants, wildebeests, zebras and many other animals such as water birds and the pink flamingos live in this huge crater. There is grassland, water holes and acacia forests on the crater floor. Bushes and long grass grow on the edge of the crater.
And you can discover another special feature here. Human remains and footprints have been found in the area around the Ngorongoro Crater. This is nothing special at first, but these remains are said to be more than 3.6 million years old. So pretty old.
Economy
Where do people work in Tanzania?
Agriculture is important in Tanzania and contributes a large part of the country’s income. Tanzania also exports many agricultural products and a large number of people – 67 out of 100 – work in agriculture. However, as small farmers, they only cultivate small areas and produce mainly for their own use. This means that they use what they harvest themselves. For more articles on Tanzania and Africa, please visit computerannals.
Only a small part of Tanzania’s land area can be used for agriculture. Maize, millet, rice, wheat, beans, cassava and bananas are grown for personal use. But Tanzania exports coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, tobacco, tea and flowers abroad. In addition there is cattle breeding. But here only parts of the large areas can be used.
What does the tsetse fly do?
The tsetse fly is a problem for cattle breeding. It is responsible for the transmission of malaria. She lives in many regions of Tanzania and also infects animals. In contrast to the breeding animals such as cattle, cows, goats or chickens, the wild animals are immune to the disease. That means they can’t get infected. The Maasai live from cattle breeding alone.
Tourists bring money into the country
Tourism plays an important role for Tanzania because the tourists bring money into the country and create jobs. This is particularly true of northern Tanzania and the beautiful coastline, which attracts tourists with its beaches. Both Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area attract many visitors. The area around Kilimanjaro is of course also exciting. Without tourism, Tanzania would be much poorer.
Tanzania is a very poor country
Despite the tourism, Tanzania is a very poor country. Because the prices for food keep rising, many people have to spend everything they earn on food and then nothing is left over.
Tanzania, however, has a lot of natural resources such as natural gas, gold and diamonds. But within the industry mostly the agricultural products are processed. It can be expected that industry will play a more important role over time. Overall, Tanzania depends on outside help. The large number of refugees, some of whom come from neighboring countries, add to poverty.
