Animals and Water

From the Washington Times:

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK, Kenya — Elephants, buffaloes and other animals drink water on one side of a swamp. On the other, Maasai warriors watch hundreds of cattle graze as the sun sears the parched land of this wildlife sanctuary.

Balancing the needs of both sides is becoming more complex, and environmentalists fear wildlife is losing out.

Kenyan officials recently bent stringent conservation regulations to allow cattle into the Amboseli National Park — the only permanent source of water in the region — to help the Maasai save their precious livestock from a punishing drought. . . .

Competition for pasture and water could drive wildlife out of the sanctuary and intensify conflict between wild animals and people in a region scarred by clashes over scarce resources, said Connie Maina, spokeswoman for the Kenya Wildlife Service.

The drought has begun to kill animals in wildlife sanctuaries and is driving elephants from national parks and game reserves to search for food and water near human settlements.

The scarcity of water is threatening more than just the animals. The entire ecosystem could collapse if balance isn’t restored, and the loss of wildlife means an economic loss as tourists no longer have a reason to visit the national park. Water issues are far-reaching.