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