There are two broad human impacts on the Serengeti ecosystem. One is the indirect impact such as spread of viral diseases, and the other is the direct impact caused by killing of the wildlife in the ecosystem.
A viral disease known as rinderpest first started spreading in the Serengeti ecosystem in the 1880s and remained there until the 1960s. The disease, which is known to be lethal particularly to wildebeest (Connochaetes Taurinus) and buffalo (Syncerus Caffer), was introduced by humans who carried the virus originated in Asia. Over the past century, it had contributed to the decline of the wildlife population in the ecosystem. Fortunately, the disease has been considered completely removed out of the ecosystem since 1982. Another kind of viral disease was introduced by humans into the system as human population flooded into the areas around the ecosystem. It is considered that domestic dogs and livestock are the culprit of spreading canine distemper that infected the wildlife population in the Serengeti.
In addition to the viral diseases, illegal hunting has been one of the major factors that contributed to the decline of wildlife population. In 1977, after the closure of the border between Tanzania and Kenya discouraged the tourism, which accounted for 90% of the revenue for the national park, the maintenance and security of the ecosystem were neglected. As a result, effective regulation and prevention on the illegal hunting had been ignored until recently. However, some parts of the Serengeti ecosystem, the illegal hunting is still presumed to be affecting the wildlife population. Another factor that caused the increase in hunting is the increase in the human population in the nearby areas in the early 1970s. The surge of human population entailed a drastic increase in illegal poaching of the wildlife in the Serengeti. As the illegal poaching became a popular means for the residents to make a living, the wildlife population dropped significantly in the 1970s and the 1980s. The rhinoceros population dropped by 52% in one year alone in 1977. About one half of the elephant and buffalo population in the Serengeti was killed between the 1970s and the late 1980s. Specifically, the buffalo population's decline from 14,000 to 1,500 between 1975 and the early 1990s shows how many animals were killed by humans.
It is also important to note the use of land by the people who inhabit in the areas near the ecosystem and its protected areas. Due to the increase in the human population and the consumption of resources, more people have utilized the land for agricultural purpose oblivious to the fact that the overuse of land and intense cultivation could entail negative impacts such as threats to biodiversity in the region.
A viral disease known as rinderpest first started spreading in the Serengeti ecosystem in the 1880s and remained there until the 1960s. The disease, which is known to be lethal particularly to wildebeest (Connochaetes Taurinus) and buffalo (Syncerus Caffer), was introduced by humans who carried the virus originated in Asia. Over the past century, it had contributed to the decline of the wildlife population in the ecosystem. Fortunately, the disease has been considered completely removed out of the ecosystem since 1982. Another kind of viral disease was introduced by humans into the system as human population flooded into the areas around the ecosystem. It is considered that domestic dogs and livestock are the culprit of spreading canine distemper that infected the wildlife population in the Serengeti.
In addition to the viral diseases, illegal hunting has been one of the major factors that contributed to the decline of wildlife population. In 1977, after the closure of the border between Tanzania and Kenya discouraged the tourism, which accounted for 90% of the revenue for the national park, the maintenance and security of the ecosystem were neglected. As a result, effective regulation and prevention on the illegal hunting had been ignored until recently. However, some parts of the Serengeti ecosystem, the illegal hunting is still presumed to be affecting the wildlife population. Another factor that caused the increase in hunting is the increase in the human population in the nearby areas in the early 1970s. The surge of human population entailed a drastic increase in illegal poaching of the wildlife in the Serengeti. As the illegal poaching became a popular means for the residents to make a living, the wildlife population dropped significantly in the 1970s and the 1980s. The rhinoceros population dropped by 52% in one year alone in 1977. About one half of the elephant and buffalo population in the Serengeti was killed between the 1970s and the late 1980s. Specifically, the buffalo population's decline from 14,000 to 1,500 between 1975 and the early 1990s shows how many animals were killed by humans.
It is also important to note the use of land by the people who inhabit in the areas near the ecosystem and its protected areas. Due to the increase in the human population and the consumption of resources, more people have utilized the land for agricultural purpose oblivious to the fact that the overuse of land and intense cultivation could entail negative impacts such as threats to biodiversity in the region.
