UNESCO World Heritage Site authorities have expressed concern at the environmental impacts of plans to reportedly increase the number of lodges in the Serengeti National Park by 250% and the number of permanent tented camps by 300%.

The World Heritage Centre (WHC) and the International Union for Conservation on Nature conducted a reactive monitoring mission to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in January, raising red flags about the growing impacts of tourism inside the property.

The mission noted that the “increasing density of lodges, tented camps and other tourism infrastructure in the property and along the migration routes in the wider Serengeti ecosystem is increasingly likely to impact the wildebeest migration, one of the main attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)”.

In February, Tanzania’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism submitted a report on the state of conservation in the property, asserting that the construction of tourism accommodation facilities has been strategically planned and implemented in line with the national park’s General Management Plan (GMP).

“Most of the facilities located along the migration routes are seasonal camps that stay temporarily (three to six months) with less impact to OUV. The State Party will continue to monitor and act accordingly, in case of any impact including relocation of the seasonal camps where necessary,” the Ministry added.

The WHC said that while noting the response of government, a proposed 250% increase in the number of lodges and a 300% increase in permanent tented camps, would worsen the detrimental impacts already being caused by tourism facilities.

“The mission considered that the large, planned increase in tourism facilities, including in the low use and wilderness zone is of serious concern, given the increasing evidence that the current tourism footprint is already starting to impact the OUV of the property.”

The committee recommended that the revision of the GMP and decisions on future tourism development be informed by the “best available science” in terms of management zones and permissible land use in these zones.

“This should include setting measurable and monitorable limits of acceptable change, particularly in the behaviour, demographics and population of the migrating wildebeest, zebra and gazelle. The mission considers that, given the fact that the wildebeest migration is central to the OUV of the property, the acceptable limit of change in these aspects of the wildebeest population should be ‘zero change’.”

Further concerns

The committee more broadly noted a substantial increase in pressure on natural resources in and around the wider trans-boundary landscape of the Greater Serengeti Mara Ecosystem (GSME) and the long-term integrity of the property.

It requested the state parties of Tanzania and Kenya to establish a formal trans-boundary cooperation, and for Tanzania to develop an overall management plan for protected areas included in the GSME.

The WHC further called for the establishment of a permanent management agreement between Tanzania National Parks, the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority and Tanzania Wildlife Authority to prepare a management plan for the Serengeti-Ngorongoro Man and Biosphere Reserve.

The committee requested a halt to the proposed development of an 18-hole golf course at Fort Ikoma – an area that serves as a buffer zone between the Serengeti District and Serengeti National Park.

“The proposed golf development is likely to impact the wildebeest migration and [the committee] urges the State Party not to proceed with the project and to revise the current Environmental Impact Assessment, to assess the feasibility of alternative locations, and to comprehensively assess the potential impact of the development on the migration in the area.”

Tanzania has proposed an expansion of the national park to include the Speke Gulf – a bay in Lake Victoria – with the WHC urging for the expansion to be implemented “effectively and fairly” to ensure that planned resettlements follow human rights-based approaches.

Tanzania has been requested to submit an updated state of conservation report to the WHC by December 1, 2025, for examination by the committee.

During the 46th session of the WHC in New Delhi, India, from July 21 to 31, over 40 state-of-conservation reports were examined, while 26 new UNESCO World Heritage Sites were inscribed.