Tanzania is endowed with various fauna, flora, and other natural resources. These resources are not only beneficial to the ecosystem but also make significant contribution to Tanzania's tourism industry. Tourism in Tanzania is a major source of employment and contributor to the gross domestic product. However, most of these important resources are under threat of improper use or extinction. Wildlife is the most affected category due to the effects of poaching. A wide range of literature on poaching in Tanzania guided debates on the subject that partly helped in the formation of anti-poaching measures. Little was achieved even after several measures were implemented. The acquisition by poachers of automatic weapons worsened the situation. Such trends were a threat to national security and called for military intervention, among other wider interventions. This thesis draws lessons from Botswana and South Africa to enhance Tanzania's military intervention on poaching. Using the research question, "What can the Tanzania Peoples Defense Forces do as part of the Tanzanian's government anti-poaching program to protect elephant herds?", this research established the need for TPDF intervention on anti-poaching but as small component of a wider integrated approach to dealing with the vice.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)