Maasai of Ngorongoro

Question

Background Information

The Maasai and Wildlife Conservation in Tanzania

The Maasai are a well-known group of people who have lived in parts of Kenya and northern Tanzania for hundreds of years. They are different from many of their neighbors because they are pastoralists—this means they live by raising animals like cattle and goats instead of farming or hunting. Their animals are not just food; they’re also an important part of their culture and traditions. Even today, many Maasai still live this traditional way of life, though some now live in cities.

In June 2022, there was violence between the police and Maasai protesters in the Loliondo area of northern Tanzania. The government was trying to move the Maasai out of their homeland so that a company linked to a royal family from Dubai could use the land for trophy hunting. This is part of a larger plan to move all 93,000 Maasai people from a protected area called the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). This has caused a lot of debate and controversy. The roots of the problem go back 70 years.

After becoming independent in 1961, Tanzania became a world leader in wildlife conservation. It has protected 26% of its land for nature, including 15 national parks and many game reserves and other protected areas. But saving land for wildlife hasn’t always been easy. Sometimes, it has meant moving people—like the Maasai—off their traditional lands.

Julius Nyerere, Tanzania’s first president, believed in protecting animals, even though he didn’t
personally enjoy watching them. He knew that tourism—people coming from other countries to see wild animals—could bring in a lot of money. He once said that after diamonds and a plant called sisal, wild animals could be Tanzania’s greatest source of income. And he was right. In 2019, before COVID-19 stopped travel, tourism made up almost 11% of Tanzania’s economy. That money is very important, especially since 70% of Tanzanians live on less than $2 a day.

Photo of a Maasai man in his hut, taken in Tanzania by Jeff Nokes in 2023.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA)

The NCA is a special area in Tanzania created in 1959 to protect both wildlife and the Maasai, who live by herding animals. It’s home to amazing animals like cheetahs, black rhinos, and wildebeests. It’s also an important area for animal migration, where over 1 million wildebeests
and many other animals move through each year.

When the Serengeti National Park was created in 1959 by the British, the Maasai were forced to leave that land. When Serengeti National Park was enlarged in the 1960s and 1970s they were forced to move again. They were allowed to live in the nearby NCA. At the time, officials believed that the Maasai and the wildlife could live together peacefully. Many Maasai have never left the area and feel deeply connected to it.

Photo of a herd of Wildebeest taken in Serengeti national park by Jeff Nokes in 2023

The Controversy Today

Now, the Tanzanian government is reconsidering the idea that the Maasai and the wildlife can live in the NCA together. The number of Maasai people and their livestock has grown a lot, and this puts pressure on the land and makes it harder for wild animals to survive. Some government officials and scientists say the area can’t support both the Maasai and the wildlife population. At the same time, many Maasai still want to live their traditional way and say the government should respect the promises made when the NCA was created.

The government is now enforcing rules that were ignored in the past. Some leaders want the Maasai to move voluntarily, but others want to force them out to make more room for wildlife and tourists. People who are against moving the Maasai say this is really about money, and that foreign companies just want the land for hunting and tourism.

Written by Jeffery D. Nokes, revised to simpler language using ChatGPT.