Introduction
Tour Itinerary
Destinations
Kafue NP
Luangwe NP
Livingstone
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Home Field Trips Wildlife Tour

Introduction to the Wildlife Tour

Kafue National Park

In the Copper and Farming Tours you saw how dependent the economy of Zambia is on its natural resources; the abundance of copper and cobalt and the fertility of its soil. In both cases the exploitation of these resources is taking its toll on the environment. Copper reserves are being depleted and the surrounding land being contaminated by chemical pollutants producing in the copper smelting process. In rural areas traditional agricultural practices are causing deforestation and denudation of the land. Commercial agriculture through the intensive use of fertilisers and pesticides are also impacting on the environment and the people, flora and fauna that depend upon it.

So far little has been mentioned of another natural resource that offers considerable economic potential, Zambia's abundance of wildlife. However, this valuable resource is also extremely vulnerable to the ever expanding pressure from a rapidly growing population for land, food and income, uncontrolled markets and economic growth and development.

Tourism in Zambia

In the Wildlife tour three markets are considered, the markets for tourism, elephant ivory and rhino horn. In all case the market exhibits considerable market failure. In the face of near extinction to some its famous species such as the elephant and the rhino, the Zambian Government, Multilateral organisations and NGOs are attempting to come up with solutions that reduce market failure yet enable the country to benefit from the flora and fauna in a more sustainable way.

As the government recognises the need to move away from its dependency on copper the tourist industry, focusing as it does on the countries rich natural history and impressive geography, is seen as having considerable potential. Whilst the tourist industry contributes a relative small amount to the country's balance of payments, largely as a result of the attractions of Victoria Falls and Lake Kariba, the capacity for earning foreign currency from this sector is great. However, considerable investment is needed into infrastructure such as hotels, roads and vehicles. A deregulated tourist industry can also result in a number of external costs, once again putting pressures on the environment.

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Related Glossary Items:
Market Failure
External Costs
Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs)