Cattle & Wildlife: Finding a Solution

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WILD’s dedication to protecting wilderness extends to protecting wild animals living within these spaces. One region in which we’ve taken targeted action to ensure the well-being of wildlife is Botswana, specifically the regions near the Okavango Delta and floodplain, the world’s most pristine delta.

In 1995 a veterinary cordon fence (the Setata Fence) was erected, spanning 200km in North-West Botswana in an attempt to curb the spread of Contagious Bovine Pleuro-pnemonia (CBPP) and protect Botswana’s beef-export industry. The WILD Foundation opposed this fence due to its ineffectiveness as a disease control mechanism, negative impact on migratory wildlife and serious social impacts. The Government of Botswana commissioned an environmental impact assessment (the Scott-Wilson Study) to determine the effectiveness of this fence, and in 2004 the fence was removed for the reasons cited above.

In late 2007, we received news of the Government of Botswana’s plan to re-erect a similar veterinary cordon fence, this time to quarantine a reported outbreak of Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD). As this method of disease control proved in-effective and ill-advised in 2000, WILD, international partners such as the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and local conservationists embarked on an intensive research and advocacy campaign to encourage the Government of Botswana to consider other options. Several officials within the Government had shown concern over this issue and expressed intentions to resolve the problem. Our efforts culminated in a joint statement and sign-on letter that was sent to the involved ministries, urging the Government to consider a fence alignment that minimized impact on wildlife movement.

In July, 2008 we received notice that the alignment of the new fence allows for a 70km gap in along a critical wildlife migratory route! We applaud the Government of Botswana for recognizing the importance of this wildlife corridor, and acting to protect it. These actions show an understanding of the importance of connectivity between wild areas, which not only protect historic migratory routes but also buffer unforeseen changes in ecosystems due to climate change.