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

a failure by the government to implement necessary management plans, and to
adequately monitor the tourism industry in the Okavango Delta.
According to the 224 tourists interviewed in the Okavango Delta between 2003 and
2004, a total of 204 individuals, or 91 percent, stated that they had, or intended to,
go on a wildlife and bird viewing, or fishing boat trip in the Okavango. Additionally,
130, or 58 percent, of these tourists also stated that they had, or intended to, go on
a scenic, and game viewing aeroplane flight over the Okavango Delta. This
demonstrates the demand (and pressure) placed on tourism operators to use the
Okavango's resources to satisfy tourist demand, even at the expense of the
resource.
In addition to the problems associated with the wakes and noise from motor boats in
the Okavango, the mere presence of both motor boats and mekoros disturbs wildlife
in the area. For example, in order to enable tourists to view and photograph wildlife
clearly, many boat drivers take tourist boats right up to bird nests on river banks and
in low branches hanging out over the water, nocturnal birds sleeping in trees that are
accessible to tourists, and crocodiles lying on river banks. This frightens birds away
from their nests, leaving the eggs/chicks vulnerable to predators, and disturbs
crocodiles and roosting birds, resulting in them moving away from tourist areas. In
fact, this form of wildlife harassment is becoming such a problem that during the
peak tourist season, well known bird nesting and crocodile basking sites may be
visited by different tourist boats as often as every 15 to 20 minutes. According to the
224 tourists interviewed in the Okavango Delta between 2003 and 2004, a total of
185 individuals, or 83 percent, stated that the experience of viewing wildlife up close,
while in the area, particularly animals such as crocodile, hippopotamus, elephant,
rare birds and predators, was important to them. This demonstrates the demand
(and pressure) place on tour guides and operators by the tourism industry to provide
such visitors with unique wildlife viewing opportunities. Hence, most of the tour
guides in the Delta will disregard the welfare of the wildlife in order to satisfy tourist
demand for game-viewing experiences.
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