Traditional Medicine in Tanzania A rapid assessment of wildlife used in traditional medicine in three urban centers in Tanzania

TM involves the use of a wide range of flora and fauna products, the demand for which has continued to grow rapidly in recent years. The use of fauna products in TMs has received less attention than flora, yet the trade is extensive, not well understood or regulated. Many of the fauna species used in TM are protected, thus their harvest for TM has become a major conservation concern. In Tanzania, the scale and severity of wildlife harvested and traded for TM is under-appreciated, unregulated, and not seen as a priority by law enforcement in Tanzania.

This assessment provides an overview of the wildlife products used and species extracted for the TM trade. To identify the diversity of wildlife species in local TMs, the assessment was guided by the following questions (1) What wildlife species are sold in the TM shops in Dar es Salaam, Tanga and Unguja (2) What health values are attached to these species/wildlife products? Recommendations for improved regulation of the TM trade in Tanzania are provided.