DAR ES SALAAM, June 3 (Xinhua) -- At least 35,331 hectares in Tanzania's protected areas have been invaded by 33 different types of invasive plants, posing a threat to wildlife, a cabinet minister told parliament on Friday.

       Pindi Chana, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, said the invasive plants have invaded eight national parks and the Ngorongoro conservation area.

       The invaded national parks are Serengeti, Arusha, Saadani, Mkomazi, Mikumi, Katavi, Julius Nyerere and Ibanda-Kyerwa, Chana told the House in the capital Dodoma when she tabled her ministry's budget estimates for the 2022/2023 financial year.

       She said the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism was undertaking various researches aimed at eliminating invasive plants.

       Chana said 10,668.88 hectares of the invasive plants have already been eliminated through slashing, uprooting and burning.