The Okavango Delta
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plain
2019-11-29T08:49:37-08:00
The Okavango Delta is an inland delta in northern Botswana. The Cubango River, flowing south, enters the Kalahari dessert, and fans out, forming a vast swath of fertile marshland. One of the most notable things about the delta is its size. It's so massive, it can be seen from space.
This topographical miracle has created an ecosystem burgeoning with biodiversity. Its home to many endemic species (species which exist nowhere else in the world), such as a new species of air breathing catfish.
Unfortunately, this inland terminus is under threat. When water damed and diverted away from the Cubango for irrigation, less of it reaches the delta, causing the marshland to dry up, and melt into the dessert.
The Okavango was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which could greatly increase funding for conservation efforts, but this is still a colossal problem which needs to be addressed.
Biodiversity such as is inherent in the Okavango is incredibly precious, and to help you understand why, here are a few clips from a lecture given by Edward O. Wilson, a biologist and author.
First, an explanation of what biodiversity is...
Next, Wilson describes why biodiversity is important, and what our current relationship to it looks like.
The next clip summarizes how the human race is destroying biodiversity at an alarming rate.
Finally, a hopeful look into the future.
Food and irrigation issues
The situation is further complicated by the fact that a dam in this site will be incredibly helpful to the local communities. This isn't the only location in Africa where this problem arises. Below professor David Gray lists three reasons why dams are so important to development, particularly in Africa.
Next, professor Jamie Skinner discusses the impacts of dams on biodiversity in Africa.
As you can see, the issues surrounding the Okavango Delta is delicate and complicated, and more attention should be brought to it, lest a natural haven of biodiversity be lost forever.