Faculty-Led | Ecology & Conservation
Overview
Northern Tanzania is home to an extremely high density of wildlife and is one of the world’s greatest centers of large mammal biodiversity. Today, human population growth, unplanned development, agricultural expansion, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change threaten the future of the region. Students will explore cutting-edge methods and strategies employed to protect endangered wildlife and empower rural communities across this region. They will also gain greater insight into the Maasai culture as they engage with members of this tribe.
Why Tanzania?
Tanzania is home to several natural wonders, including the Serengeti, Africa’s highest peak; Mount Kilimanjaro, and Africa’s largest lake; Lake Victoria. Most of the program will be based in Arusha; a bustling center for trade, international diplomacy, and multiculturalism. Arusha is also ideally situated near the northern safari circuit, in close proximity to some of the greatest national parks and game reserves in Africa. This human proximity to wildlife is exactly what makes Arusha an ideal launchpad for examining the impact of human-wildlife conflict on wildlife populations, and the diversity thereof.
Learning Outcomes
During this program, students will:
- Develop valuable intercultural communication skills through language and culture lessons and meaningful community engagement
- Demonstrate knowledge of the key problems and questions around human-wildlife conflict, and wildlife and habitat conservation in Northern Tanzania
- Critically reflect on human relationships with wildlife and the global impact of human intervention and activity on the natural environment
- Analyze the various challenges facing wildlife conservation in Tanzania
- Demonstrate field experience in conservation, working alongside conservationists and Maasai communities
Note: Specific learning outcomes and activities can be constructed in collaboration with EDU Africa’s dedicated curriculum development team.
Contributors
Laly Lichtenfeld
Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld co-founded Tanzania People and Wildlife in 2005 to help rural communities conserve and benefit from their wildlife and natural resources. Laly first traveled to the continent with the National Outdoor Leadership School in 1992. Moved by the remarkable wildlife, cultures, and landscapes of East Africa, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to evaluate a community-based conservation (CBC) project in southern Kenya. In 2005, Laly earned her Ph.D. from Yale University for novel research that combined wildlife ecology and social ecology in an interdisciplinary study of human-lion relationships, interactions, and conflicts on the Maasai Steppe of Northern Tanzania.
Today, with 20 years of on-the-ground experience in East African wildlife conservation, Laly specializes in human-wildlife conflict prevention; species conservation (focusing on lions and other big cats); community empowerment and engagement in natural resource management; conservation education; and the development of conservation incentives for rural populations. Laly is a Distinguished Alumni of the Yale Tropical Resources Institute, a National Geographic Explorer, an invited member of the Clinton Global Initiative, and a recipient of the 2016 Lowell Thomas Award for Open Space Conservation from The Explorers Club.
Charles Trout
Charles Trout co-founded Tanzania People and Wildlife and is the Director of Programs. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Trout has spent his life in and around the protected areas of the DRC, Kenya, and Tanzania. Charles brings his complex local knowledge, significant linguistic skills, and a lifetime of experience to the development and application of the organization’s unique programming. He specializes in East African wildlife conservation, working with rural communities, and managing a large, multi-cultural team.
With multifaceted skills including team management, mechanics, green design, construction, carpentry, electrical engineering, and information technologies, Charles also ensures the effective functioning of the Noloholo Environmental Center as he inspires the creative design behind many of the organization’s technical innovations. In his passion for Africa’s diverse wildlife and wild places, Charles believes that if we are to ensure the future of much of the continent’s natural heritage, we must work with rural communities.
Customize Your Program
Our friendly and experienced program consultants will work closely with you to develop your custom faculty-led program from conceptualization to execution. We believe every journey to Africa gives students the opportunity to learn and transform and we pride ourselves on our ability to create unique, sustainable, and truly African transformative learning journeys.
Featured Experiences
Mt. Kilimanjaro Day Hike
Known as the “Roof of Africa,” and standing at 5896 meters high, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the African continent. What makes it all the more impressive are its three snowy peaks, topped with glaciers that often protrude above the clouds. Immersed in local myth and culture, and with breathtaking views, few mountains can claim the grandeur of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
The Ngorongoro Crater, a caldera of an ancient volcanic explosion, teems with wildlife in all shapes and sizes. It has some of the densest populations of the “Big Five” on the planet and is renowned for its lush and captivating scenery. As a World Heritage Site, it is one of the most appealing game drive locations in Africa.