The Ruaha National Park

The River

The Great Ruaha River runs along the eastern boundary of Ruaha National Park, and is the lifeblood of the park and surrounding areas. However, as a result of intensive rice farming and livestock grazing in the Usangu catchment area the river has been drying up earlier and earlier every year since 1994. The reduced water flow is of great concern to everyone from conservationists to economists alike, as the Great Ruaha flows into the Mtera Dam source of much of Tanzania's electricity. FORS has long been involved in advocacy and awareness-raising about this issue, and we are happy to report that in early 2008 the Tanzanian Government added the Usangu Wildlife Management Area to Ruaha National Park, thus protecting the catchment area and making Ruaha the biggest park in all of Africa.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE DRYING OF THE GREAT RUAHA RIVER, CLICK HERE!!!