The special count, to be completed in the course of 2024, is carried out in Nyerere and Ruaha National Parks, both the biggest in the country and mapped within the Southern Tourism Circuit.
Tanzania has launched a census to determine the number and distribution of leopards and cheetahs in national parks.
According to The Citizen newspaper, the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (Tawiri) announced that leopards and cheetahs, which are threatened with extinction in Nyerere and Ruaha national parks, will be counted.
Tawiri Research Director Julius Keyyu said that most of the tourists coming to the country want to see leopards and that wildlife in the country is an important part of tourism.
Stating that 10 percent of the world’s leopards are found in Tanzania, Keyyu pointed out that his country has managed to protect leopards, even though they are endangered worldwide.
African countries, which earn foreign currency from wildlife tours, have increased their efforts to protect natural life in recent years.
Those who hunt endangered species due to the growth of settlements face heavy prison sentences in many African countries.