The Okavango Delta is a unique but fragile ecosystem; it is one of the world’s largest inland deltas, a RAMSAR site, and plays a significant role in Botswana’s economy through tourism. African buffalo are a keystone species that influence many aspects of this ecosystem. Despite their considerable importance in shaping the ecosystem, there is little information on the Delta’s buffalo population.
The key aim of this project is to define the role of the African buffalo within the ecosystem of the Okavango Delta and to determine how buffalo use the habitats in this ecosystem, and use this information to develop a conservation strategy for the Delta and its unique herbivore assemblages. The aim of this website is to increase awareness of the need for research in the Okavango Delta, with particular emphasis on the African buffalo.
The Okavango Buffalo Research Project forms the basis for my PhD thesis with the Mammal Research Group of the University of Bristol (UK) and the University of Botswana. The field work necessary for this project will be carried out over a three year period, ending in July 2010. A year will then be spent in Bristol writing up the thesis and submitting articles for publication in scientific journals. After completion of the thesis, I intend to return to Botswana and continue my research into African buffalo.