Loliondo Game Controlled Area

The Loliondo Game Controlled Area (LGCA) is a protected area in Tanzania located in the northern part of the country. It covers an area of over 4,000 square kilometers and is situated between the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The LGCA is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and many species of antelopes.

The LGCA is managed by the local Maasai community who live in the area and are responsible for conservation efforts and sustainable use of natural resources. Hunting is allowed in the LGCA under a quota system, with revenues generated from hunting fees being used to support local conservation efforts and community development projects. The LGCA also serves as an important corridor for the annual wildebeest migration between the Serengeti and Maasai Mara in Kenya.

However, the LGCA has been the subject of controversy and conflicts between the local Maasai community, conservationists, and hunting companies. Some argue that hunting in the area is unsustainable and damaging to wildlife populations and ecosystems, while others argue that it provides important benefits to the local community and is an effective conservation tool. The LGCA remains a complex and controversial issue in Tanzanian conservation and wildlife management.

Protected Wildlife Area in Tanzania

The Loliondo Game Controlled Area is a protected wildlife area in Tanzania, established in 1951 and covering an area of 4,000 square kilometers. It is a crucial area for sustainable conservation and tourism development in the Great Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, which includes the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maswa, Kijereshi, Grumeti and Ikorongo Game Reserves, as well as the Ikona and Makao Wildlife Management Areas on the Tanzanian side and the Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

This ecosystem is home to the only remaining live wildlife migratory system in the world, with a population of about 1.5 million wildebeest. The Loliondo Game Controlled Area serves as a wildlife corridor and dispersal area for migratory wildebeest and other species, as well as a feeding and calving ground for wildebeest and a vital water catchment area for the Serengeti National Park. If this area is not well protected, the ecological integrity of the entire Great Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, including the migratory system, could be disrupted and lost forever.

The tourism industry, which funds conservation and other development activities in Tanzania and neighboring countries, also relies heavily on the Great Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Therefore, the protection of the Loliondo Game Controlled Area is essential for the sustainable management and development of this important natural and cultural resource.