Saving the Okavango Delta
Ramsar Status and Tourism Help Protect World's Largest Wetland
Wetlands are critical to the survival of many species, including man. The Okavango Delta is in Botswana, but much of its water comes from the highlands of Angola across Namibia, eventually entering Botswana via the Okavango and Kwando (which changes name to Linyanti in Botswana) Rivers. This unique inland delta, the only one in mainly arid sub-Saharan African, is the largest in the world.
A combination of permanent swamp, seasonal wetland and semi-arid scrubland provides habitat for many species from aquatic mammals such as the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) to savanna dwellers such as wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas). As it takes several months for the water to make its way down from the highlands, the height of seasonal flooding occurs after the rains have ended. This makes it a crucial source of water for many migratory species during the dry season. The globally threatened Wattled Crane (Burgeramus carunculataus ) and Slaty Egret (Egretta vinaceigula) are resident here, as are many other waterfowl species. The Okavango Delta is also home to several endemic reptiles.
Dangers to this valuable ecosystem are many, the first and foremost being man’s need for water. With three countries having some claim on the waters flowing into the Okavango Delta, there is constant pressure. Drainage for land reclamation, unplanned development in the Angolan border area, overgrazing by Botswana and Namibia leading to soil erosion with subsequent decline in water quality, water for hydroelectric power or mining, and waste effluent seeping into the watershed all take their toll.
The Convention on Wetland of International Importance (commonly called the Ramsar Convention) established protection for wetlands such as this starting in 1975. To date, 154 countries have signed on to the convention and currently 1641 wetlands are designated as Ramsar sites. With nearly 69,000 square km of protected land, the Okavango Delta is the largest Ransar designated wetland. The site has recently been fenced to prevent encroachment by livestock and illegal drainage for land reclamation. The fencing also serves to keep wild mammals such as elephant, giraffe and red lechwe within the protected areas.
Botswana and Namibia have signed on to Ramsar but Angola has not. However, Angola has joined with Botswana and Namibia to form the Permanent Okavango River Basin Commission to coordinate sustainable use of this resource. And because tourism is a major source of income for the area, there is additional incentive to keep the delta healthy.
