The veterinary fence (Figure 10) along the international boundary between Botswana and Namibia came into place in the early 1960s.

Figure 10: The location of veterinary fences

In Botswana, the first cordon fence - the Kuke fence - was constructed in 1958.

The period from 1960 to the present time is characterised by continuous modification and addition of veterinary control fences in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The preoccupation of State veterinarians in the 1960s was to protect cattle against Foot and Mouth disease infections from buffalo. However, in the past 40 years the number of diseases which potentially affect cattle and which now have to be considered as veterinary control problems has increased exponentially and produced a complex situation. Morkel (1988) gives an excellent catalogue of these diseases. It is clear that there a number of strong arguments for keeping wild buffalo separated from cattle - as much for their own protection as for the possible threat to cattle. Wildlife management as a land use which competes with cattle ranching. Such competition should be seen as economically healthy and, in a time of changing market values, it is in the national interest that neither of the two alternative land uses should prejudice the other. Rather, the most efficient of the two land uses should ultimately predominate or a balance should be reached where each land use is occupying the economic and ecological niche where it is more profitable than the other. What should not be acceptable are measures which foreclose options or artificially subsidise one or other of the two land uses.

Influence of veterinary fences on elephants

Figure 10: Elephant distribution in countries neighbouring on Namibia

The influence of veterinary fences on the current elephant range in Namibia and on the regional range is profound. There is a bottleneck in the vicinity of Mahango national park in the Caprivi Strip which affects the entire regional range for elephant across the central southern African region (Figure 10) – caused by the veterinary fences on the southern boundary of the Caprivi and along the international border between Botswana and Namibia. The compression of elephants in this narrow isthmus has undoubtedly been responsible for the woodland destruction in Mahango.This is a matter for the Ministry to pursue from the outset of the management plan.

The emigrations of elephant into Namibia which have occurred recently indicate that these fences are less than effective. The boundary fence between Khaudum and Botswana has been breached over a large section and the fence on southern boundary of the Caprivi is in a similar state. However, there should be little cause for elation over this: the fences undoubtedly impede movement of elephants up and down the Kavango River and act against the maintenance of spatial linkages between the subpopulations. There is a danger that the authorities in both countries will suddenly become conscious of the status quo, attempt to repair the fences and, at the same time, demand that elephants are killed as problem animals.

Cumming (2005) has called for the veterinary profession to re-examine its methods of disease control as the southern African region moves into trans-boundary wildlife management over very large areas. Methods of control that were developed in the 1960s and applied at national levels may no longer be appropriate at the international scale where collaborative efforts are being made between governments to move to the higher valued land uses offered by wildlife tourism.