The Present Distribution of Buffalo in the Region
|
Figure 12: Present distribution in the region based
on rainfall
Figure 10: The location of veterinary fences
|
The present distribution of buffalo in the region (Figure
12) has been constructed from Cumming (1999, Fig.2.17),
updated with information from ASG (1998a, p106) and further
modified with new data from Namibia and Zimbabwe. The data
from Angola and Zambia are not recent. IUCN ROSA (1992, p67)
describe the situation in Angola as follows - "Seventeen years
of civil war, with troop movements through national parks,
uncontrolled hunting and the paralysis of government park
administration have left the system of national parks and
reserves in a shambles." It is known that there is dense
human settlement in the extreme south-western corner of Zambia
along the Zambezi River adjacent to the Caprivi Strip. This
settlement effectively creates a disruption in the buffalo
range in the vicinity of the nearest State protected wildlife
area (Sioma-Ngwezi National Park) since the actual protected
area frontage shared by Namibia and Zambia here is only about
15km.
The range available to buffalo
in the Caprivi has been much reduced as a result of the
erection of the veterinary
fence. Of particular significance is the convoluted shape
of this range in northern Botswana. In theory, through a disjointed
set of breaks in the Botswana veterinary fences (Figure
10), the present buffalo range could extend as far south
as the Makgadikgadi Pans; in practice, the obstacles to their
movement are likely to preclude this.
Main Text
|
