A Professor of tourism studies at Okavango Research Institute has warned Botswana to undertake all the necessary due diligence on Angola’s readiness before going ahead with the expected 8000 elephant’s donation to the country.
Joseph Mbaiwa who is a highly respected professor of tourism studies in the larger Okavango Delta made this warning in response to President Mokgweetsi Masisi revelations that Botswana will gift Angola 8000 elephants to relieve local elephant population.
Speaking in October in Seronga, Masisi stated that Botswana will go ahead with envisioned plan to relocate 8000 elephants from Botswana to Angola. However, he committed that before implementation Angola will be expected to be ready.
‘’ all those landmines in Angola must be cleared. This will be a move to depopulate Botswana of elephants and help grow the wildlife tourism in Angola. We are encouraging tourism companies in Botswana to go to Angola and invest in that country. Even Okavango Community Trust can do the same’’ Masisi noted in Seronga.
Responding to Masisi in an interview with Okavango Express, Mbaiwa welcomed this move saying ‘’ there is nothing wrong with Botswana donating 8000 elephants to Angola but the challenge is whether the area where the elephants are going in the Republic of Angola is okay.
Professor Mbaiwa said: ‘’ I am saying that because part of the Angolan areas where the elephants used to roam was a base for the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA.) And, the elephants were poached to fund the rebel movement.
In the 1980s, UNITA reportedly decimated 100,000 elephants in Luiana Partial Reserve in South-east Angola and used the ivory to pay for arms and meat.
The 27-year-old Angolan civil war is further believed to have strewn more than 9 million landmines in the Southern African country which killed people and elephants themselves.
Mbaiwa said as a principle the donations of wildlife between southern African countries is good for regional conservation and tourism development. According Mbaiwa the donation of rhinos by the Republic of South Africa a few years back is an example which the elephant’s donation to Angola could replicate. ‘’ we know at one point all Rhinos in the Okavango Delta were decimated by poachers but the South African Rhino donations replenished the stocks back in the delta although there were later attacked poachers again.’’
‘’People are saying the 8000 donations will reduce elephant population in Botswana. I don’t think so. I don’t think it will do a dent to our population here. Elephants are multiplying between 5-9% annually’ ’said Mbaiwa.
The professor added: ‘’ the growth of the elephants’ numbers in Botswana is growing. Trophy Hunting nor this donation can’t reduce elephants in Botswana. What we need is proper implementation of the elephant management strategy in Botswana.’’