Kipper, I'm glad you took a look at the materials and saw the true impact.

I agree that us "Northerners" can seem pretty far removed... and that's why we're trying hard to connect and involve the Tanzanians.. in fact, many of the primary supporters of this movement to stop the highway are Tanzanian. But we need more and to hear from their voice.

There is currently no paved road through the park:

http://www.zgf.de/?id=72&reportId=85&language=en

If you download their presentation on the right, you will notice maps illustrating the existing dirt road and the proposed PAVED HIGHWAY. Also note on that page the proposed road and concentration of animals over the course of the migration

Best
Musa

Hmmm!
Looking through the eyes of a wilderbeast, I'm not sure a paved road looks any different to the steeply banked rough stone road from Naabi Hill!
As far as my feet are concerned I think I'd prefere the paved road!

Don't get me wrong, I am against such a road being built & my original argument, albiet wrong was a Southern route & the impact on the Crater conservation area.
Also the original posted link highlighted a concern from a "Celebrity" (Yuk!) who had a business interest in the area as a photographer!
Which immediately raises my suspicions!....
And come on!
Would a true conservationist publish his photograph wearing his old school tie round his head & cuddling an Orangutang?

Perhaps I'm biased for I never want to return to the Serengeti! Carved up & restricted for the posing NGO's in their Daktari 4X4's!

First of all, I have to say thanks to Tanzania for conserving Serengeti for us.
After reading those articles about serengeti highway there is one thing which we are trying to avoid. If "no" to Serengeti highway what is the alternative?
Nobody has came out with a logic suggestion. I don't think this idea of southern road is logic and reasonable. To build another road which still will not connect these two people _ Mara and Arusha. The alternative suggestion of road which will cost more than double of the planned cost; the road with length more than double of the planned one(to costly in terms of time and resources)
After all the road is already there and animals are crossing it. What Tanzania is planning to do is just to pave it.
We can't argue that let Serengeti be intact and forget people of Mara and Arusha dying in poverty.

Suggestion: Allow Tanzania to go on but let us ask them to spare around 20-40 km in its natural way(unpaved).
Tsavo in Kenya is crossed by highway and railway line and animals live with this reality. I have a beautiful photo of animals crossing highway in Mikumi park

JimMatti: I can't speak for or against the Tanzanian highway as I've never been there. However, I do go to Tsavo twice a year and have seen many animals dead next to the rail line and on the highway (killed by trains and cars/trucks.)

Any tarmac'd road means increased speed of vehicles. which equates to higher wildlife mortality IMO. The other consideration might be when a tanker truck flips over spilling fuel all over the place (danger of fires, explosions and contamination, which again would affect wildlife). I've seen this happen often between Mombasa and Tsavo. Luckily the spills there were not close to the park and the wildife, but it could happen.

Glad to see your opinion. I hope you'll continue to join us on Bushdrums.

Hi Jimmatti,

There is a very viable alternative that has already been proposed:

http://www.savetheserengeti.org/news/highway-news/a-case-for-the-southern-route-around-the-serengeti/

Included in that page is a presentation from the Frankfurt Zoological Society that documents this further.

Jan, your observation about spills and the greater topic of pollution is spot on. Thanks for pointing that out!

M

The existing track passing Seronera is already a killer road for animals as huge trucks speed up and down.
Having such a track paved the disaster for animals will be beyond comprehension!

As Jan pointed out: Paved roads will be very tempting for speeding.
It's neither good for the animals, nor for the environment and it will definitely lead to many more accidents which also have an impact on to human lives.

I must say the "creator" of that idea must have been drunk when getting that idea. I cannot imagine of a sane person in charge of that piece of national park jeopardizing the migration and all tha comes with it.

I am totally convinced the impact on to the migration will be devastating and that in return will have a huge impact onto high-end tourism! In the end Tanzania will lose not only the i´migration but also revenue which is bitterly needed for edúcation, health care you name it!