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Most of the areas for potential co-operation and collaboration
between Botswana and Namibia are similar to buffalo.
During a workshop in Maun, Botswana, in 2003, representatives
of the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the
Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks identified
the following areas of potential co-operation and collaboration
between Botswana and Namibia:
Linkages with the Botswana populations
Botswana's roan population is about 1,500 animals, its sable
population is about 3,000 and its tsessebe population is one
of the largest in Africa - of the same order as Zambia's at
about 10,000 animals. Together Botswana and Zambia hold more
than two-thirds of Africa's tsessebe. Thus, Namibia stands
to be the greater beneficiary from co-operation with Botswana
on management issues than vice-versa. Namibia's primary conservation
objectives are to increase numbers of roan, sable and tsessebe
and to avoid fragmentation
of the populations. Maintaining spatial linkages with
Botswana will be important in achieving this. It has not been
possible to identify discrete subpopulations but it is known
that movements of all three species are considerably less
than is the case for buffalo. Therefore, the scale under consideration
at the outset of this collaborative process need not necessarily
embrace the full northern Botswana populations of the three
species but could focus on the animals in Namibia and Botswana
which are located within a certain distance (e.g. 50km) of
the international boundary. Later, it may be possible to refine
management to specific subpopulations.
Elephants
The impact of the
very large elephant population in the project area (more
than 100,000 animals) on roan, sable and tsessebe habitats
is viewed by Martin (2003) as the
most important factor after rainfall. Elephant management
is a high-level issue where technical collaboration is essential.
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Range expansion
Botswana might be able to provide animals from their large
reservoir of tsessebe for introduction to identified
project sites in Namibia. Although roan and sable in Botswana
are less abundant, there may be potential for introductions
of these species, too - or the deliberate establishment of
trans-border populations of all three species in specific
localities.
Along the international boundary separating Botswana and
Namibia are a number of suitable areas involving both State
Protected areas and local communities in which new populations
of roan, sable and tsessebe could be established - possibly
using founder stock from areas further inland in northern
Botswana. One method of achieving rapid growth from small
groups of roan, sable and tsessebe may be to locate them in
interim holding paddocks of 10-50km2 where the effects of
predation, habitat modification by elephants and competition
with other grazing species are minimised - which would enable
these starting cohorts to increase rapidly. The paddocks might
be situated straddling the international boundary thus providing
a genuine foundation for transboundary co-operation in initiating
a 'seed-bank' for rare species production which will be used
to populate larger areas.
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Illegal Hunting
Levels of illegal hunting in the Caprivi are higher than
in northern Botswana and, if these cannot be contained, it
will have a deleterious effect on Namibia's resident roan,
sable and tsessebe populations. It is less likely to affect
the larger populations of these species in Botswana, by virtue
of the localised nature of the species' distribution. Nevertheless,
there may be collaborative measures that could assist in reducing
illegal hunting in both countries.
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Veterinary Control Measures
Veterinary control
measures are less of an issue with roan, sable and tsessebe
than they are with buffalo. However, they are a factor acting
to disrupt linkages between the Namibia and Botswana populations
and should still be addressed with some priority. The trend
in Namibia towards isolated
subpopulations in Caprivi, Khaudum and Nyae Nyae is of
concern. Scott-Wilson (2000) put forward four options to mitigate
the effects of veterinary fences in northern Botswana and
decisions are still awaited on these options or an alternative
solution.
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Population Estimates
The inadequacy of present air survey techniques for counting
roan, sable and tsessebe is reflected in the high confidence
limits of both the Botswana
and Namibian population
estimates. In most years, Botswana conducts a national
air survey of all of the northern wildlife areas which is
done to the highest scientific standards. It would be costeffective
to extend the coverage of this survey into the roan, sable
and tsessebe range in Namibia, with the extra costs being
met by Namibia. This could be a major step forward in standardising
air surveys between the two countries.
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Fire Control
The Caprivi suffers from an excessive burning regime every
year. Whilst few of these fires originate from Botswana, this
may be an area where co-operative effort would result in a
reduction in the number and extent of fires.
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Hunting Quotas
It is unlikely that excessive sport hunting quotas in either
Namibia and Botswana would be likely to affect each other's
safari hunting industry significantly because of the localised
subpopulations which make up the roan,
sable and tsessebe distribution. However, it is possible
that in specific localities on either side of the international
border there are good reasons to cooperate on joint hunting
management. This is an area of liaison which would require
little effort and could produce significant economic and conservation
gains. In the areas on either side of the international border
where hunting is taking place from what may be the same herds,
there is good case for developing local institutions at the
appropriate scale which would enable the proceeds from an
overall quota to be shared proportionally amongst the participating
community areas.
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Institutional Collaboration
The entiretry of issues involved in improving the status
of Roan, Sable, Tsessebe in the region through better management
goes well beyond the conventional mandate of the respective
wildlife departements of the single countries. Dialogue between
ministeries within each country is required and Governments
and communities need to create the appropriate national level
forums to take the issue forward to an international level.
Martin (2002) has put forward a
notional institution for Botswana-Namibia management of shared
wildlife species populations.
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