Located along the southwestern boundary of the Serengeti National Park, Maswa is a dry season refuge for many of the Serengeti animals seeking water in the springs and pools formed in the sand rivers in the area. The wildebeest migration passes through Maswa in January and February, feeding on the new growth of grass that appears after the short rains. The Simiyu, Mbono, Semu and Kuna rivers form the main drainage courses, and are lined with thorn thickets, yellow barked acacia and wild fig trees. Much of the land between the rivers is thorn scrub and acacia woodland, but in places it opens up to grassland. Maswa contains impressive populations of buffalo, Robert's gazelle, lion, roan, Cokes hartebeest, East African impala, Thomson gazelle and leopard.
Community Development
FCF collaborates with the Meatu District and the Wildlife Department to support projects prioritized by the villages neighboring Maswa Game Reserve. Education, highly valued across Tanzania, has been a priority in this area and FCF has sponsored the construction of teachers' houses in villages along the western and southern boundaries of the concession.
Area-specific Project: Film Screening
Bringing conservation knowledge to rural communities is vital for the future of Tanzania's protected areas. Films are an effective information medium in remote villages where many cannot read. A mobile film unit can easily access several villages a month, bringing environmental information to areas where it matters the most - $7,154 will start up a brand new mobile film unit and $176 will bring an environmental film to a village using an existing film unit.
Anti-poaching
The Maswa Game Reserve borders the world-famous Serengeti National Park and at times during the year the Great Migration passes through Maswa's boundaries. Wire snares target the migration and indiscriminately kill animals. Our rangers in Maswa clear kilometer after kilometer of snare lines during their patrols and encounter bush meat hunters and ivory poachers on a fairly regular basis. Charcoal poaching is a problem, as are domestic animals grazing along the boundaries of the Reserve - many and varied are the types of poaching our rangers encounter in Maswa. One of FCF's microlights is based here and is proving to be very effective in assisting anti-poaching efforts.
Area-specific Project: Waterproof an Anti-poaching Unit
The Maswa Game Reserve becomes very muddy and wet during the long rains each year and creates an even more challenging set of working conditions for our men. $29 will pay for the purchase and shipping of one poncho and $145 will pay for the purchase and shipping of ponchos for an entire anti-poaching team.
Research
Maswa Game Reserve is part of the famed Serengeti ecosystem and supports a large resident ungulate population as well as hosting some of the famous wildebeest and zebra during the migration. A number of threatened and restricted-range bird species occur in Maswa GR, including the Ashy Starling that probably reaches its northern limits at this site.
Area-specific Project: Sponsor Flying Hours or a Whole Survey
The costs for an ungulate sample count in Maswa Game Reserve can be assisted by purchasing one or more flying hours at $250/hour.
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