Environmental Challenges
Many environmental problems have been developed in Tanzania the biggest being scarcity of natural resources. Tanzanians heavily rely on wood and agricultural residues to create energy and fulfil their energy needs and with the growing economy this became inevitable. When energy supplies run low people resort to illegal and unsustainable deforestation which causes environmental degradation. With deforested areas comes lack of shelter for the wildlife inhabiting those areas, leading to loss in biodiversity causing a kink in the ever-growing chain of life in these biomes which can lead to other problems such as making the land susceptible to soil erosion. During the year of 2007 it was found that the organised illegal timber business was causing millions of dollars worth of profits to be lost annually in Tanzania, this is mostly caused by poor authority and uncontrolled corruption in the forestry division.
Another problem that has been formed in areas of Tanzania is over grazing and unsustained range management. With the introduction of large cattle and goats for farmers who are struggling to make any income a price is paid. When numbers of cattle and goats inhabiting areas of Tanzania become exceeded this can cause a serious disadvantage as the area has gone over its natural carrying capacity for animals. When excessive amounts of vegetation are consumed by the animal’s vegetation begins to disappear as it is unable to keep up with the many mouths it has to feed. When vegetation runs bare it causes constant ground exposure which can lead to soil erosion, which can significantly decrease the reproduction of the vegetation. Eroded soil is also damaging to aquatic biomes as it can run into the water bodies that lead out to sea. It can travel using the currents and can reach sensitive corals were it begin smothering it.
Pollution is also an enormous factor as to land degradation. Many of Tanzania’s major towns and cities produce wastes both in solid and liquid form which are mainly left untreated. This results in air and water contamination and poses a serious risk towards the general wellbeing of the wildlife and of the people in surrounding areas. An example of poor waste removal in Tanzania is in Dar es Salaam one of the many towns of Tanzania. Very few people have access to a sewage system. The existing sewage systems discard of their waste directly into the ocean, the pollutants distributed affect the many aquatic biomes and ecosystems that usually thrive.
Illegal Wildlife exploitation has now become a problem in many parts of Africa specifically Tanzania. Many people often resort to the poaching of animals in many situations. They may kill an animal after they feel threatened or are retaliating after a wildlife attack which may have destroyed agricultural exports a vital source of income for under privileged people, people may also poach for money on the black market for example rhino horn to be sold on the black market as ivory. This causes a severe decrease in wildlife numbers and can often lead an animal to the brink of extinction.