TOURISM VS CONSERVATION

A leopard tortoise on a dusty road. Would you see it if you were travelling at 60kph?
Desert Dome, is available at Fine Art Gallery in Swakopmund.

This morning the wildlife gods gave me a visit by a huge bull elephant at the waterhole just in front of my mobile studio. And while it was a breathtaking moment in the many moments Africa has to offer it brought on another train of thought.

Etosha, I have to say, is not a shining example of conservation at work against the odds. It would seem, here, there is a far greater emphasis on tourism as opposed to conservation. It is such a great pity that we are losing the plot, so to speak.

In the greater scheme of things, I would really like us to sit back and take stock of what we are doing. If, as we all say, we are supporting these initiatives, such as Etosha and many others, then we, as tourists should be more mindful, more educated, and more caring about what we are doing.

Etosha, or should I rather say, NWR, in their wisdom, have decided that the speed limit in the Reserve should be 60kph. While 60kph is a great speed in suburbia where tarred roads are the norm, in a Game Reserve this is too fast.

At 60kph you cannot possibly see anything next to the road, especially the little things.  A while back, when on a game drive in the Kruger National Park we came across an army of ants marching across a road. They were those mean Matabele ants and they were moving house. We stopped the car and let them cross watching in fascination.  If we were driving 60kph we’d have driven right over them killing I don’t know how many and scattering them to the wind.  What chance do you think a little springbok stands if it steps out of the bush next to the road in front of your car?

Then, let’s discuss the Etosha roads. What a mess! The corrugations are just too appalling for words. It’s a huge wonder there aren’t many wrecks scattered next to the roadside. Many studies have been done on this subject the most notable being those in Australia where there are km and km of dirt roads and those huge trucks that move at high speed to get from A to B. There are many conclusions that have been reached due to these studies, the most notable being that traffic is the cause of road deterioration and traffic at speed is the biggest culprit. You would think therefore that in an African landscape, we’d take note of those who have done their due diligence and perhaps just take heed of the findings.

What has happened in Etosha is that the animals have retreated from the areas where the traffic is at its highest and fastest. Who, really, would be happy eating dust all day and as a result, there are fewer good sightings to be had.

As a result of fewer sightings, the tourist, in his fast 4x4 has taken to racing from waterhole to waterhole in a desperate attempt to get to see the big five in the short space of time they have allocated to their visit to Etosha. And so, the never-ending circle of faster cars, more dust, more damaged roads and fewer animals to be seen plays out every day before our very eyes.

Tourism is winning. Conservation is taking second place or maybe even last place. There is little understanding of the needs of the animals and in this 21st Century where man has so many rights and demands, the animals are retreating further and further away.

In a perfect world, where I could play King, I would decree that the top speed in a game reserve is 30kph, and then of course, roads would be in a far better condition because the cars wouldn’t be damaging them and the experience of spending time, leisurely, in the bush would return. The wildlife would have first place and the tourists would be last in line.

Wouldn’t that just be PERFECT?

With leisure on my mind, let’s be mindful.

Christine

I travel to these destinations to find inspiration for my work. You can see all my work on my website at https://www.christinelamberth.com