Katavi National Park in western Tanzania is famed for its pristine remoteness and large mammal dry season aggregations (1, 2). Two unpaved roads of equivalent length run through the park, linking the regional capitals of Mpanda and Sumbawanga. One road cuts across the center of the park, crossing the Katuma River, a dry season hotspot for very large mammals, especially hippopotamus (3). The other runs farther west through miombo woodland with much lower animal densities. After a hiatus due to lack of funding, construction to pave the road that bisects the central area frequented by animals in the dry season has recently started, putting animal populations at risk. Yet Tanzania could still craft a win-win solution to this environment-development conflict if it reassesses its paving decision.