The Okavango Delta

Written by: Caroline Kim

January 30, 2023

The Okavango Delta, located in Botswana, hosts a multitude species including the cheetah, african bush elephant, wildebeest, giraffe, nile crocodile, and lions. In fact, it’s home to 1500 plant species, 530 bird species, 160 mammals, and 190 reptile/amphibian species (Wildlife). But beyond the wildlife that relies on this basin network, the people living nearby also rely heavily on the water that flows from Angola through the Okavango. For example, local communities rely on herding, farming, and tourism (Ensor). To help protect the Okavango, National Geographic works with de beers to preserve this life source.

Some concerns for the Okavango include the extraction of water for other, human uses; while this is not a major issue currently, the issue could very much grow over time (Cracks in the Kalahari’s Emerald). Additionally, the use of synthetic fertilizers, resulting in nitrogen/phosphorus runoff, can cause excessive plant growth. This, in turn, could create larger issues such as eutrophication, depriving fish or oxygen and other necessary nutrients (Cracks in the Kalahari’s Emerald).

Sources:

“Wildlife.” Okavango Delta, 18 May 2021, https://www.okavangodelta.com/the-okavango/wildlife/#:~:text=Wildlife%20of%20the%20Okavango%20Delta%20includes%20a%20myriad%20of%20species,White%20Rhinoceros%2C%20Plains%20Zebra%2C%20Warthog.

Ensor, Kaya, and Jack Neighbour. “The People of the Okavango Delta.” National Geographic, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/slideshow/paid-content-the-people-of-the-okavango-delta.

National Geographic Society. “Cracks in the Kalahari's Emerald: Threats to the Okavango Delta.” National Geographic Society, 7 Sept. 2022, https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/cracks-kalaharis-emerald-threats-okavango-delta.