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Table 7.1: Approximate Changes <strong>in</strong> Mammal Specie Numbers <strong>in</strong><br />

Ngamiland District S<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> Late 1970s<br />

Specie <strong>of</strong> Mammal<br />

Approximate<br />

<strong>in</strong>crease/decrease s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />

<strong>the</strong> late 1970s<br />

Elephant + 5.7% per annum<br />

Impala + 7.2%<br />

Eland<br />

- 36% s<strong>in</strong>ce 1979, ext<strong>in</strong>ct <strong>in</strong><br />

larae areas on Delta<br />

Hartebeest -15.9%<br />

Hippopotamus - 32.8%<br />

Warthog -44.3%<br />

Zebra -14%<br />

Ostrich -7.5%<br />

Giraffe -5%<br />

Lechwe -14.7%<br />

Buffalo -14.9%<br />

Sitatunga - 33.5%<br />

Rh<strong>in</strong>oceros Ext<strong>in</strong>ct <strong>in</strong> Okavango Delta<br />

Tsessebe Figure unknown, but<br />

decl<strong>in</strong>e apparent <strong>in</strong><br />

Okavango s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> late<br />

1970s<br />

Kudu Figure unknown, but<br />

decl<strong>in</strong>e apparent <strong>in</strong><br />

Okavango due to reduction<br />

<strong>in</strong> habitat<br />

Sable, Bushbuck, Figure unknown. Ext<strong>in</strong>ction<br />

Waterbuck <strong>of</strong> species <strong>in</strong> south-east<br />

and south-west Okavango<br />

Source: Adapted from Okavango People's Wildlife Trust (OPWT), 1998, p.1;<br />

Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), 2003.<br />

<strong>the</strong> Moremi Game Reserve, and have <strong>in</strong>deed been hunted to ext<strong>in</strong>ction <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> south­<br />

west and south-east <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango. O<strong>the</strong>r species, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g sable, bushbuck,<br />

eland, hartebeest and roan have also been seriously affected by <strong>in</strong>discrim<strong>in</strong>ate<br />

hunt<strong>in</strong>g, to <strong>the</strong> extent that <strong>the</strong>se species will probably have to be re<strong>in</strong>troduced back<br />

<strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> area if <strong>the</strong>y are to be found <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> future (OPWT,<br />

1998). There are no conclusive records available for bird, reptile and fish<br />

populations, but observations by <strong>the</strong> OPWT <strong>in</strong>dicates several decl<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />

animal groups too (OPWT, 1998).<br />

281

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