Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Exports of live animals and trophies have decreased sharply since 2009 and are now close to zero thanks to stricter regulation [ ] 66 Status and trends in biodiversity In Botswana, the number of recorded mammals has increased from 147 to 157; amphibians from 34 to 44; and invertebrate records have improved from a total absence of species lists to lists for 10 taxa. The mammal fauna of Botswana comprises 157 species, 43 of which are large mammals. As of 2010, there are 587 bird species recorded including 25 that are globally threatened and a further eight regarded as nationally threatened. None of the avifauna species in Botswana are endemic and there are only two near-endemics: the slaty egret, which has approximately 85 per cent of its global population in the Okavango Delta; and the short- clawed lark, which has more than 90 per cent of its global population in south-eastern Botswana. The coun- try also hosts large populations of regionally vulnerable species such as the white-headed vulture (Trigono- ceps occipitalis), lappet-faced vulture (Aegypius tracheliotus, formerly Torgos tracheliotus), martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) and lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni). These spe- cies are widespread in Botswana, and are less threatened than elsewhere in southern Africa. Large proportions of the southern African populations of wattled crane (Bugeranus carancula- tus) occur in northern Botswana. A new Flamingo Sanctuary has been proposed in the Makgadikgadi Pan providing critical protection for flamingo breeding site. Also wild- life management areas in Kgalagadi District have land board approval. These changes have increased the protection status of the Kalahari xeric savanna and Zambezian halophytics ecoregions. Botswana’s main area of biodiver- sity — the Okavango Delta is in the process of being awarded World Her- itage Site status, which will reinforce the conservation efforts currently be- ing implemented under the Ramsar Convention and national protected area obligations. Botswana has recognised the importance of the activities under all of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) to which it is party. There is an MEA committee that meets regularly, and this facil- itates coordination of conservation activities. An important formal step has been the ratification of the Na- goya Protocol. It is important also to mention the role of nonstate partners — in particular Birdlife Botswana, and Kalahari Conservation Society — which play a fundamental role in ensuring broader stakeholder partic- ipation in biodiversity conservation, as well as pursuing biodiversity objec- tives within their own organizations. B otswana incorporates seven global ecoregions, all with different levels of diversity, resource value and protection status. The dryland ecosystems cover most of Botswana’s surface area and can be divided into four sub-areas: the Kalahari Xeric Savanna, the Kalahari Acacia-Baikiaea Woodlands, the Southern African Bushveld and the Zambezian Halophilic. Game resources are valuable throughout the country, but most valuable in Ngamiland, the centre of wildlife-based tourism. Ngamiland contains the Okavango Delta, a Zambezian flooded grassland ecoregion. Chobe National Park, comprising mainly Zambezian and Mopane woodlands, and Zambezian Baikiaea woodlands as ecoregions, account for the majority of park visitors in Botswana. Elephant in Botswana Caterina Sanders on Unsplash Botswana