Okavango Delta – A Kalahari oasis under environmental threats

Abstract

Wetlands all over the world are continuously faced with enormous environmental threats. The Okavango, a Kalahari hotspot, is not an exception. This research article provides a description of the environmental threats facing the Okavango Delta, a major wetland in northern Botswana. The article is based on field evidence and synthesis of available information on the past and current state of the environment in the Delta. It is argued that the Okavango Delta has during the last few decades attracted many stakeholders with divergent interests and land use activities which together with the added impact of natural factors such as climate variability, climate change and tectonic activities in the area have slowly been transforming and causing damage to the ecosystem and its sustainability. It is emphasised that there is an urgent need to expedite the implementation of the Okavango Delta Management Plan (ODMP), if the Okavango Delta is not to end up becoming a salt pan.