Page 11 - Professorial Lecture - Professor Mapaure

at any given point in time, to disturbance (noise) and pollution (dust and vehicle
fumes). These may cause animal behavioural changes and may reduce animal
survivorship (a decline in animal populations). The ultimate effects are reductions
in visitors over time.

Human densities also have to be monitored and controlled if necessary. Too many
people may cause some wild animals to become ‘tame’ posing dangers of zoonotic
diseases. The problem of human-wildlife conflict may also increase in some
instances. Too many people increase trampling (where visitors are allowed outside
vehicles), leading to loss of biodiversity and ecosystem integrity while littering
reduces environmental quality. As a case example, it has been shown that elephant
and human coexistence in the African savanna ecoregion occurs at various levels of
human density up to a threshold of human density beyond which elephant
populations disappear (Hoare & Du Toit, 1999). This means too many people in an
area will lead to disappearance of the very animals they come to see, but before
that, conflicts may escalate.

What could be improved?
a) Determine and practically enforce sustainable levels of vehicles and
visitors in natural/wilderness areas.
b) Monitor and regulate vehicle and visitor numbers, especially in
environmentally-sensitive areas. Restrict, or even ban, certain vehicle
sizes from entering ecologically-sensitive sites.
c) Regularly monitor animal populations (behaviour, numbers, etc.) and
institute relevant interventions where necessary.

4.2 Supplementation of dry season water

Provision of supplementary water through construction of artificial water points
can lead to habitat destruction due to unnaturally high densities of animals,
particularly during the dry seasons. Supplementation of permanent water leads to
higher herbivore population sizes which can generate greater profits, yes, but can
lead to detrimental effects on soils and vegetation surrounding the water points
(Figure 5).

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