Thanks for more links.

It appears an alternate route that is more southernly would be a compromise and much better than a highway right through the migration. Even self interest would say it's poor planning to have a road blocking the wildebeest's route meaning no migration and no tourism income.

Are any of the conservation orgs working to fight this? Is the WWF involved? I would send $$ to help them.

It's always about short term gain (corruption and cash) not the long term investment (conservation and the resulting tourism and water resources). Dumb.

There are many conservation orgs. aware of the situation and getting involved. Frankfort Zoological Society, NatGeo and African Wildlife Foundation are aware just to name a few and they have written articles to bring it to the mainstream.

Seems the TZ government is behind this more than any one donor.

Here's another link those in the travel industry who want to sign the petition.

http://www.change.org/petitions/view...engeti_highway

Just add your name and company to the end of the letter

And for those of you who want to stay on top of it (and who are on Facebook) use the link Lynn provided above and the

http://www.savetheserengeti.org/join...zation-signup/

They are posting the latest news and developments of the proposed highway and you can get alerts when something new is added.

There are many conservation orgs. aware of the situation and getting involved. Frankfort Zoological Society, NatGeo and African Wildlife Foundation are aware just to name a few and they have written articles to bring it to the mainstream.

Seems the TZ government is behind this more than any one donor.

Here's another link those in the travel industry who want to sign the petition.

http://www.change.org/petitions/view...engeti_highway

Just add your name and company to the end of the letter

And for those of you who want to stay on top of it (and who are on Facebook) use the link Lynn provided above and the

http://www.savetheserengeti.org/join...zation-signup/

http://www.savetheserengeti.org/join/individual-signup/

They are posting the latest news and developments of the proposed highway and you can get alerts when something new is added.

Oops. Sorry for the double post. Should just be the second one.

Better too many posts with links than too few.

atravelynn - it's getting livelier - isn't bad at all, right?

SV

Come on, lets keep this going. Just signed petition and signed up for further email info.

I'd not heard of this until my e-mail newsletter from African Wildlife Foundation (www.awf.org) arrived a couple of days ago. I'm trying now to learn from them if there is anything we should be doing -- other than these petitions.

According to AWF's Facebook post today, the Tanzanian President approved the project yesterday.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/stop-t...39770189387518

Thanks. I used the AWF link above and sent the petition (with some additions) to the TZ embassy in the US and have already received an acknowledgement from them. Perhaps somebody at the embassy will actually read it. At least it's going to the right place, so encourage all of you to send it in too.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201008021597.html

latest

Woo hoo!

Lynneb - that's good news. I will send this info to a couple of US based NGO's to see if they are invlved with WCST. Maybe they can work together and find a solution to "go around" the park.

There was a big meeting today in TZ regarding the highway project. The President does not appear to be in a mood to budge. That said, he will not make his formal decision until the end of August. Hope those various petitions get to TZ before decision time.

Since this project is funded with local money (not donors) we have to wonder what might happen to the project after the general elections on 31 Oct. 2010.

From today's NY Times:



http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/wo...ef=todayspaper

Not a good omen!

Can't imagine a paved highway running through the Serengeti!

Some of the charm of a Safari is riding those dusty bumpy roads.

Is there nothing scared anymore !?

From the NY Times article.

Mr. Kikwete recently promised that the roughly 30-mile stretch through the park would not be tarmac but packed dirt, like the mainly tourist roads already in the park. But conservation groups say any major road would allow poachers to quickly get in, shoot the animals from the highway and get out.

It's not just TAZ. That most likely might have an impact onto the already existing tensions between TAZ and Kenya as it will destroy the Mara migration as well.

It's becoming really really scary!