Saanane Island officially declared 16th National Park

From IPP Media/The Guardian, Dar es Salaam
By Lusekelo Philemon 

The government has officially declared Lake Victoria’s Saanane Island, (photo) as the country’s 16th National Park.

The new Saanane Island National Park has an area of 2.18 square kilometres will now include the total areas of the former Saanane Island Game Reserve, Chankende Islands and parts of Lake Victoria water surrounding Saanane and Chankende islands.

According to TANAPA’s Public Relations Manager, Pascal Shelutete, the move follows Government’s Notice Number 227 issued recently.

"…the resolution to establish the park was passed by the National Assembly October last year," Shelutete said in a statement.

Historically, Saanane Island was managed as a zoo in 1964 and elevated to the status of a Game Reserve in 1991. In 2006, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism directed Tanzania National Parks to assume full responsibility of managing and overseeing the overall running of the game reserve and initiate the process of elevating it to the status of a National Park.

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