Week #6: Evaluating Sources

The Effects of Veterinary Fences on Wildlife Populations in Okevango Delta, Botswana

In Botswana many herds of species and wildlife roam the country with no control causing diseases and dangerous amounts of overpopulations of animals. A solution for this problem was Veterinary Fences. A veterinary fence is a kind of boarder that keeps wildlife from passing through a certain area. This article shows the effects these fences have on the populations of wildlife in Okavango Delta, Botswana. This article says that these fences were meant to prevent diseases from spreading amongst livestock and can cause great economic benefits. But how does it affect the animals? Well, according to this article, certain fences were meant to control certain animals and diseases. For example, apparently The Buffalo Fence  was the most important because it stopped the spread of foot and mouse disease from spreading from buffalo to other kinds of cattle populations. However, it is also known for being one of the most destructive fences to migratory wildlife species. While this fence is meant to stop buffalo and cattle diseases from mixing, it also cuts across a migration path for other species such as zebras, wildebeest, and elephants. These fences are causing deaths amongst migratory wildlife because animals get separated from their groups, poached, and trapped while walking along veterinary fences. 

     This article also goes on to explain what would happen if these fences are removed and what the new laws and regulations are now that the fences have been evaluated. From what I currently know about my field, I can see that this article does a good job at not being bias. It provides both positive and negative viewpoints of the fences and the results that came from them. Along with references supporting this article, there are also charts and graphs to provide visuals as well. My response to this article was just that it made me more aware of the consequences in changing the habits of wildlife. 

References

MBAIWA, JOSEPH E., and ONALETSHEPHO I. MBAIWA. "International Journal of Wilderness." The Effects of Veterinary Fences on Wildlife Populations in Okavango Delta, Botswana 12.3 (2006): 20-23. Web.

N/a. "Fences in Botswana." Protecting the Environment with Intelligence. EIA International, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. <http://www.eia-international.org/our-work/ecosystems-and-biodiversity/habitat-destruction/fences-in-botswana>.