Consequences of different forms of conservation for large mammals in Tanzania: preliminary analyses

We examined the effects of protection from human activities and effects of tourist hunting on densities of 21 large mammal species in Tanzania. Aerial censuses revealed that mammal biomass per km(2) was highest in National Pa rks. Densities of nine ungulate species were significantly higher in Nation al Parks and Game Reserves than in areas that permitted settlement; these t ended to be the larger species favoured by poachers, The presence of touris t hunters had little positive or negative impact on ungulate densities, eve n for sought-after trophy species; limited ground censuses confirmed these results, Our analyses suggest that prohibition of human activity, backed up by on-site enforcement, maintains ungulate populations at relatively high densities, and challenge the idea that enforcement is only effective when s pending is high.