SAANANE Island has was set up as a new tourists attraction center especially for people who love to explore in the Island, going for boat excursions can only be organized at the clients request at the National Park’s offices which are found in the Capri Point in Nyamagana district. This Island got its name after Mzee Saanane Chawandi its former owner and it was the very first zoo that Tanzania ever had in the year of 1964 being established with an aim of encouraging the demand and the preservation education in wildlife as well as encourages recreation among the people of Mwanza town.
While on the safari to the Saanane Island be sure to enjoy activities like the rock hiking, picnics, game viewing as well as bird watching for the those who love birds since they are usually so many on the shore of Lake Victoria. According to the Tanzania National Parks Authority, years between 1964-1966 there so many wild animals of various species that were transferred to the Island like the buffalo, bushbuck, dik dik, elephant, eland, impala, black rhino, topi, warthog, and wildebeest. More to those were the zebra, monkeys, giraffe, porcupine and crocodiles but unfortunately the other wild animals like the rhinos were kept in cages. It is also very important to appreciate the work done by the Game Reserve in the 1991. And in 2011, the Tanzania government through the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources, declared its intent of upgrading the Island from being just a forest reserve and wildlife familiarization zone to a proper wildlife sanctuary.
This is done thing done with an intention of adding to the number of National Parks from the 15 that are available to 16 at least by the 2013 and thus will become the second National Park to stride Lake Victoria following the Rubondo Island. Mr. Paschal Shelutete the TANAPA Public Relations Manager mentioned that the National park in proposition will act as a home to so many mammals like impala, rock hyrax, velvet monkeys, wild cats, clawless otters and De-brazzas monkey. While that part with water will water will have creatures like all types of fish, crocodiles, water snakes and monitor lizards, other reptiles, including tortoises, grass snakes, pythons and agama lizards. According to the Saanane Island Park Warden Ms Rukia Juma Mallya, this park will act as an example to the other game parks especially since the island receives about 250 visitors every month on average and between the 180 and 200 local visitors.
