The effects of poaching and its impacts to community members around national parks in arusha region

This paper establishes the effects of poaching and its impacts to community members’ around national parks in Arusha region. The study used a cross-sectional design due to limited research resources particularly time and funds in order to empirically investigate the effects of poaching and impacts to community development of members around Tarangire, Arusha and Ngorongoro national parks. Primary and secondary data collections tools were administered to a sample of 60 respondents, Management of Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) Head Quarter, Park warden, Community Leaders and community members. Whereby, questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from Community members and Community leaders, Qualitative data were collected through interview schedules that were administered to the TANAPA HQ Management and Park Warden, focus group discussion were administered to community leaders and community members, observation and documentary analysis methods were also used to collect data. Using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for analysis and presenting of the findings, poaching activities contributes on lowering the social livelihood of the people around the parks. Though poaching activities, depressing the social livelihood of the people, it does to economic livelihood of the people too. From the study findings, some of conclusions were made to TANAPA (government) do face some challenges such as, poor policy on wildlife protection, low participation from local members and cultural interference, also women are not engage in poaching activities are being taken negatively in the society, that is they are wrongly in cultural aspects, also are taken has no other works to do.