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the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...

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dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> dry season, and to a limited extent <strong>the</strong> production <strong>of</strong> fodder which is used<br />

dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> dry season (Makhwaje et aI, 1995).<br />

5.3.6.4 Disease and Mortality<br />

The Ngamiland district as a whole has several potentially devastat<strong>in</strong>g diseases.<br />

These <strong>in</strong>clude Contagious Bov<strong>in</strong>e Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Foot and Mouth<br />

Disease, Pasteurellosis, Botulism and Gall Sickness. Internal parasites such as liver<br />

flukes and wireworms are also problematic <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Delta. Predation is also a major<br />

problem <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> region as graz<strong>in</strong>g areas are surrounded by WMAs and game<br />

reserves. Some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> more common predators <strong>in</strong>clude lions, hyenas, leopards,<br />

cheetahs and jackals. Snakebites also cause livestock loss, but to a lesser degree<br />

(Makhwaje et aI, 1995).<br />

5.3.7 Tourism <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta Region<br />

Nature-based eco <strong>tourism</strong> dom<strong>in</strong>ates <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta region. The Ngamiland<br />

district is <strong>the</strong> centre for <strong>the</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> and hunt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong> Botswana. As such,<br />

wilderness and wildlife based <strong>tourism</strong> and subsistence farm<strong>in</strong>g are <strong>the</strong> major<br />

economic activities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> area (Le<strong>in</strong>aeng, 1989). In <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta region,<br />

<strong>tourism</strong> activities are largely based on <strong>the</strong> commercial utilisation <strong>of</strong> wildlife and o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

<strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s. Such activities can be broadly divided <strong>in</strong>to two ma<strong>in</strong> groups,<br />

namely consumptive and non-consumptive <strong>resource</strong> uses (Mbaiwa, 2002).<br />

Consumptive <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> utilisation with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango<br />

Delta region <strong>in</strong>volves <strong>the</strong> processes <strong>of</strong> wildlife <strong>of</strong>f-take such as sport or trophy<br />

hunt<strong>in</strong>g, game farm<strong>in</strong>g, live capture and export <strong>of</strong> live animals or translocation, and<br />

taxidermy and trophy process<strong>in</strong>g. It also <strong>in</strong>volves commercial and sports fish<strong>in</strong>g. Due<br />

to <strong>the</strong> significant numbers <strong>of</strong> wildlife <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta region, consumptive<br />

wildlife utilisation has generally taken <strong>the</strong> form <strong>of</strong> hunt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>tourism</strong> safaris. Safari<br />

hunt<strong>in</strong>g is done outside <strong>of</strong> protected areas <strong>in</strong> Controlled Hunt<strong>in</strong>g Areas (CHAs) or <strong>in</strong><br />

concession areas. Several hunt<strong>in</strong>g companies, mostly based outside <strong>of</strong> Botswana,<br />

but with <strong>of</strong>fices <strong>in</strong> Maun, operate <strong>the</strong> hunt<strong>in</strong>g safari <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong> this region (Mbaiwa,<br />

2002).<br />

164

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