Tanzania Wildlife Corridors

These are the most poorly documented type of corridor. They consist of two sub-categories:

(a) known historical migration routes of particular species, usually elephants, where it is unclear if these routes are still in use or
(b) the shortest distance between two protected areas across which animals could travel. Current land use is not taken into account.

These are usually patches of natural vegetation that lie between two protected areas, or sometimes a string of forest reserves or wildlife management areas (WMAs) between larger protected areas.

For almost all such corridors, it is not known whether any population actually uses them to move between the protected areas. Furthermore, habitat suitability and the population sizes of species living in these corridors are unknown.

Such corridors may be needed in the future if habitat in one of the protected areas becomes modified and unsuitable, for example through climate change, oil exploration or mining.

These areas may also be very important for wildlife already, e.g. forest dwelling birds that will not cross open spaces, but this is not documented as yet.

These consist of patches or networks of one or more FRs that lie between two larger protected areas and additionally across which one or more species are known to move (or are assumed to move).

This type of corridor often focuses on elephant movements.

Documented movements of large animals, usually elephants, across a habitat that connects two protected areas, for example by radio telemetry, satellite tracking or transect studies.

The habitat may be legally protected, or agricultural land, or both.

Proposed or potential corridor areas linking fragmented or threatened habitat patches that contain endangered or other species.

These are usually highland forests.

Instigation of such corridors may involve forest restoration projects and/or compensation schemes for local people.