Saving One of the Most Pristine Wetlands on Earth | National Geographic
The Aqua Bengal Delta, one of the most vibrant wetlands on the planet, could be in danger of disappearing. From deep in the my humble forest highlands of Angola flow the surface water that feeds the Cuiúto and Cubango rivers. These vital waterways, flowing down from the hills and converging at Angola's southern border, then form the larger Akka Bengal River, which crosses the Kavango East region of northern Namibia and continues into Botswana's Kalahari Desert. Every year, 2.5 trillion gallons of life-giving water flows from Angola through Namibia to Botswana, and there preserves what could be called one of the world's largest inland deltas, a seas teeming with wildlife like hippos, elephants, and African fish eagles.
Where these priceless waters begin, the forests have remained untouched and largely undeveloped. In a tragic twist of the 27 years of civil war that ravaged Angola and drove people from the region, the upper reaches of the rivers are still laced with landmines—mines that in Angola have killed thousands and injured up to 80 thousand people since 1961. War has left a treacherous landscape in its wake and thus kept the forests largely safe from timber harvest and agriculture. This allows crystal-clear water, filtered by sandy soils, to create one of the world's most pristine and productive wetlands, albeit two countries away.
Besides being something of a paradise for buffalo, baboons, crocodiles, and all manner of other creatures, the Delta also plays host to some 100,000 tourists a year in safari lodges and camps, driving one of Botswana's top industries. Now, with the civil war fading into the past, developers are circling around the Angolan Highlands, eager to take advantage of its riches through hydroelectric dams, irrigation projects, and other development that could compromise this vital flow of water. What's more, while roots along the waterways retain moisture and sediment, more and more of the forests along the banks are being cleared with fire for river access, hunting, and subsistence crops.
But these pressures are growing. The urgency has never been greater to preserve the upper reaches of these rivers to save the Delta. Enter the Okavango Wilderness Project, an intrepid expedition team supported by the National Geographic Society, which is using scientific discovery and detailed data collection to build a powerful case for the ecosystem's protection. Over the course of eight survey expeditions so far, the team has traveled over 4,000 miles by foot, bicycle, and mokoro, a traditional canoe. Their goal is to discover endemic species, conduct the first source delta surveys, and engage in the tricky but crucial business of informing conservation strategies across political borders.
After all, does Angola benefit from sustaining Botswana's thriving tourism business, or can Botswana tell Angola not to develop their own industries? Maybe through cooperation, they can both come out ahead. The team works in collaboration with Angolan officials to conduct this exceptional study of the Cuiúto and Cubango rivers, noting wildlife and human presence alike. So far, the team has already identified 24 possibly new species to science. This will all be essential data in the pivotal conversations to come.
What are some of the options for valuing the priceless gift of water that Angola renders to its southerly neighbors? For one, the Cuiúto and Cubango could support a growing ecotourism industry in Angola. Or perhaps the Botswana government will find that paying Angola to keep the water flowing is a necessary price to save its jewel in the desert. Saving the Okavango Delta will ultimately require the investment and collaboration of at least three countries: Angola, Botswana, and Namibia, in order to ensure that this fragile ecosystem can function as a whole.
One thing is certain: now, time is running out. Without vigilant conservation efforts like those of the Okavango Wilderness Project, one of the world's wondrous wetlands may not survive.