Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) is a parastatal organization under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism responsible for conducting and coordinating wildlife research in the United Republic of Tanzania. TAWIRI Head Office is located at Njiro Hill, Arusha.

The Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) was established by Act of Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania No. 4 of 1980, under the name “Serengeti Wildlife Research Institute” (SWRI), with the overall responsibility of carrying out, coordinating and supervising all wildlife research in the country. The Act of Parliament No.10, to give its broader meaning and mandate on wildlife research throughout the country, changed the original name of the Institute from SWRI to TAWIRI in 1999.

Functions of TAWIRI includes:

• To promote the development, improvement and protection of the wildlife industry in the United Republic of Tanzania.
• To carry out, and promote the carrying out of, enquiries experiments and research in wildlife and in wildlife environment generally.
• To maintain, develop and fund all ongoing or projected wildlife research in the United Republic of Tanzania.
• To carry out research and investigation into various aspects of wildlife for the purpose of establishing, improving or developing modern methods or techniques of wildlife and environmental conservation and the management, selection and use of wildlife and wildlife products.
• To carry out research and investigation into wildlife diseases and their causes so as to develop way of preventing or controlling the occurrence of particular wildlife diseases or any category of them.
• To coordinate all wildlife research which is carried out within the United Republic.
• To establish and operate a system of documentation and dissemination of the findings of inquiries, experiments and research carried out by or on behalf of the Institute, or other information on wildlife acquired by the Institute.
• To undertake the collection, preparation, publication and distribution of statistics relating to wildlife, and promote and develop instruction and training in wildlife.
• In co-operation with the Government or any persons, within or outside the United Republic, to promote or provide facilities for the instruction and training of local personnel for carrying out wildlife, and for the management of the wildlife industry.
• To advise the Government, public institutions and other persons or bodies of persons engaged in the wildlife industry in the United Republic on the practical application of the findings of inquiries, experiments and research carried out by or on behalf of the Institute.