Frage und Antwort aus der heutigen Parlamentssitzung:
BWParliament
1 Std.
𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 & 𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗥
𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗥 (𝗪𝗘𝗗𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟮𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗟, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱)
𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗼: (346) 1
𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝘆: 𝗠𝗥. 𝗚. 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗢, 𝗠𝗣. (𝗢𝗞𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗢 𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧):To ask the Minister of Environment and Tourism:
(𝗶) when he will consider drilling boreholes in Deception valley as wild animals walk long distances to Sunday Pan and Letiahau and eventually abandon the area for the whole peak season or half a year;
(𝗶𝗶) when the road from Matswiri, Tsau and New Xade Gates will be gravelled to facilitate easy movement; and
(𝗶𝗶𝗶) if his Ministry will drill boreholes in Makgadikgadi for the 50 000 zebras, elephants and other small animals as they now have to walk long distances to Boteti and Jacks Camp searching for water.
𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗥:
(𝗶) Mr. Speaker, the Northern Central Kalahari Game Reserve currently has seven (7) boreholes strategically positioned to provide year-round water for wildlife. These are located at Motopi Pan, Passarge, Sunday Pans, Tau Pan, CKGR 2, Letiahau, and Piper Pans. Additionally, small waterholes have been established at Tsau and Matswere gates to support animals in those areas. This distribution was designed with the understanding that the wildlife in the reserve is primarily adapted to desert conditions and generally is not highly dependent on water.
However, since the significant influx of elephants in 2016, water provision for both elephants and other wildlife has posed challenges. To address this, the Ministry is considering drilling at least two (2) additional waterholes along the Passarge Valley. This initiative would improve overall water availability within the reserve.
(𝗶𝗶) Mr. Speaker, currently there are no plans to gravel the road between Matswere, Tsau, and New Xade. This is meant to preserve Botswana's distinctive wilderness tourism model, which prioritizes minimal infrastructural development to maintain a pristine wilderness experience that is greatly appreciated by visitors. This distinguishes us from our competitors in the region that have gravel roads and tarred rods in their Protected Areas. Additionally, gravelling the roads would lead to over speeding, potentially compromising both safety and the ecological integrity of the area. This approach aligns with our commitment to sustainable tourism and the conservation of our natural heritage.
(𝗶𝗶𝗶) Mr. Speaker, Nxai Pan-Makgadikgadi Pans National Park currently has fifteen (15) boreholes managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, out of which only two (2) are non-operational. There are also additional fourteen (14) boreholes which are operated by the tourism entities operating within the park. While these boreholes are not evenly distributed, with most located near the Boteti river, there are plans to equip two (2) additional boreholes in the Nxai Pan area and drill twq_(2) more in the central part of Makgadikgadi National Park to address this imbalance. Furthermore, it is important to note that zebras are migratory animals, and their movements are not solely influenced by water availability but also by seasonal variations in forage quality and quantity. These zebras leave the abundant water in the Chobe area and move down to Boteti River bypassing any available surface water until they reach their destination. This explains the reasons why boreholes are concentrated along the Boteti River, and boreholes that are placed far away from the river remain largely unused by Zebras. These Zebras will later in the year and after the first rains travel back to the Chobe area.
I thank you Mr Speaker.
Gruß Gina
