Save the Serengeti from a new highway

One of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the Serengeti is under threat from a new source after the Tanzanian government approved construction of a highway that would pass through the iconic African plains. The new highway would be built directly through the Serengeti National Park, and could have devastating consequences to the delicate ecosystem there, but fortunately there is already a movement afoot to try to save the Serengeti before it is too late.

The Serengeti was named a World Heritage Site back in 1981 thanks to the amazingly diverse wildlife that exists there, not to mention the annual migration of millions of zebras, wildebeests, and other wild animals, across hundreds of miles of open plains. That migration is one of the most spectacular sights in all of nature, and visitors come from the world over to witness the event. The construction of this new highway could potentially disrupt the migration and alter the ecosystem of the Serengeti forever.

In response to this threat, a coalition of organizations with a shared concern over the future of the African plains has created the Save the Serengeti initiative. The website allows other organizations to join the fight against the new highway, and gives individuals the chance to sign the petition as well, letting Tanzanian officials know about our concern for the health of the natural environment there.

I visited the Serengeti a few years back, and found it to be a magical place. Watching the wildlife in the their natural habitat, was simply enthralling, and it remains one of the most beautiful and memorable places I have ever visited. The thought of a highway running through that pristine wilderness is something I can’t even imagine, and I hope that there is some way that they can find an alternative route. Needless to say, I already signed the petition, and urge you to do the same.