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

they attacked and damaged several vehicles and 'ripped up' campsites, looking for
oranges and other foods, after repeatedly being fed by tourists.
The feeding of wildlife results in these animals losing their fear of humans. This
places both the tourists and the animals in danger. For example, in the Moremi
Game Reserve and the Savuti National Park, there are problems associated with
spotted hyena in many of the public campsites. Through the feeding of hyena, they
have lost their fear of tourists, and whole packs sometimes come into campsites at
night to 'beg' for food. Being opportunistic scavengers, they often carry off food, cold
boxes and just about anything that is left lying around campsites at night. They have
also been reported to wander into tents if left open, and if cornered in such a
situation, would become very dangerous. As they appear 'tame', tourists often try to
touch them, placing themselves at risk from an attack by the animal, and more often
than not, an attack on a human results in the animal/s being destroyed.
8.3.2.5 Impacts Caused by Bushfires in the Okavango Delta
Fires can be an effective environmental management tool. However, if not used
appropriately, fires can also be extremely destructive. Most of the fires that occur
regularly in the Okavango Delta pose both a socio-economic and environmental
threat to the area. They destroy tourist property (camps and lodges), wildlife, human
life and habitat. Although there are natural causes of fires in the Okavango, such as
lightning, human activities are becoming increasingly responsible for the fires. In
some instances, tourism operators deliberately start fires just prior to the start of the
rainy season or the arrival of the seasonal flood. This is based on the assumption
that, with the arrival of the rains or flood waters, new, nutritious grass will grow in the
burnt area, attracting wildlife grazers such as buck and zebra. The concentration of
wildlife in these areas provides opportunities for tourists to easily view large numbers
of animals (Mbaiwa, 2002).
A study by Tacheba (2002) on fires in the Okavango Delta reveals that most of the
fires in this area occur during the dry season, particularly between the months of
August to October. As a result, such fires cannot be associated with natural causes
(such as lightning), but rather with human activities. Some of the fires occur along
river channels, and hence are associated with land use practices along these
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