Lawsuit filed against Serengeti highway

A Kenya organization, African Network for Animal Welfare, has filed an injunction to stop the Government of Tanzania from constructing the Serengeti highway. Lawyer Saitabao ole Kanchory of Kanchory & Co Advocates, representing ANAW, last Friday filed the case at the East African Community chambers in Arusha.Besides an interim injunction, ANAW asks that the court declare the road unlawful under provisions of the East African Community Treaty.

Evidence from other parts of the world, combined with our deep understanding of the Serengeti ecosystem, makes this clear: A world treasure will be seriously threatened. The Serengeti, once gone, will never come back.

Scientists have predicted the following negative impacts:

• Fragmentation of habitat for wildlife
• Disruption and obstruction of migration routes
• Introduction of invasive plants, animals, and disease
• Increased mortality due to wildlife-vehicle collisions
• Intensive, organized poaching, especially of reintroduced rhino
• Loss of habitat from human settlement and agriculture
• Increased human-wildlife conflicts requiring additional measures

Save the Serengeti asked experts around the world to sign a petition asking the government of Tanzania to abandon plans for a northern route through the Serengeti and build an alternate route. In addition a survey was included asking scientists to evaluate the likelihood of various impacts, and add their own information.

As of December 2, 2010 302 Scientists from 32 countries responded.

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Serengeti Watch