The history of the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) dates back to 1963, when it was first established as the “Serengeti Wildlife Research Institute” (SWRI) with the role of providing scientific information related to wildlife management for the Serengeti National Park. Later, the Institute was established by Act of Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania No. 4 of 1980, with the mandate to conduct, coordinate, and oversee wildlife research in the United Republic of Tanzania. The name SWRI was changed to TAWIRI in 1999 by the Act of Parliament No. 10 (CAP 260 RE 2002) to give it a broader meaning and mandate on wildlife research throughout the country. The overall purpose of TAWIRI is to collate and disseminate timely and quality scientific information to guide the management and utilization of wildlife resources in the country. Therefore, the Institute has the mandatory role of advising the government, management authorities, and the general public on the best ways of conserving the wildlife resources based on research findings. Through research, the Institute also has the mandate to promote and facilitate training of Tanzanians in wildlife science. In accordance with its mandate, the core functions of TAWIRI include coordination and management of all wildlife research in the country.

The headquarters of the Institute is located at Njiro, Arusha, and comprises five research centers in various locations, namely, (i) (i) Western Wildlife Research Centre (WWRC) in Kigoma Region, (ii) Kingupira Wildlife Research Centre (KWRC) in Selous Game Reserve, (iii) Njiro Wildlife Research Centre (NWRC) in Njiro, in the city of Arusha, (iv) Serengeti Wildlife Research Centre (SWRC) in Serengeti National Park, and (v) Southern Highlands Wildlife Research Centre (SHWRC) in Iringa Municipality. In addition to these centers, the Institute has five research stations, namely, Endala (Manyara National Park), Lower Kihansi (Kilombero District), Magugu (Babati District), West Kilimanjaro (Hai District), and Tabora (Tabora Municipality).