Abstract
M.Sc.
Boreholes in the Kruger National Park (KNP) was at first developed to increase the
number of animals that were at low densities because of poaching, diseases, fencing
and low permanent water availability. This development of artificial waterholes
without managerial measures or knowledge of possible consequence led to negative
impacts on the environment. These included that the higher concentration of
herbivores around artificial waterholes led to a change in vegetation; secondary
vegetation growth did not support the feeding habits of water dependent species; the
infiltration rate of water in the soil surrounding waterholes changed and animal
distribution patterns also changed, in turn changing the predatory base. Due to the
above the KNP developed a new water policy. The policy states that all artificial
waterholes that are open should be part of natural ecosystem principles. This led to
the closure of many artificial waterholes that did not conform to the requirements of
the new water policy. This study aimed to determine the ecological implications of
artificial waterholes and whether tourism will be affected by the closure of these
artificial waterholes. The following two hypothesis were thus tested in this project: i)
Artificial waterholes have ecological implications on the environment. ii) The closure
of artificial waterholes will have a negative response from tourists and thus affect
tourism to the KNP. The results from this project indicated that both these
hypothesises can be accepted as the available literature clearly showed that artificial
waterholes do have a negative impact on the environment and that the majority of
the tourist questioned asked for the waterholes to be opened again. The latter
reaction was mainly due to the tourist‟s concern that the animals will suffer and die
without water. Furthermore the visitors are concerned they won‟t see animals
anymore. This result can partly be due to the low awareness of the visitors on the
subject. No effort was made to communicate these decisions, and the reasons it‟s
based on, to the public. Although a certain number of artificial waterholes were
closed according to the new KNP policy, it is still important to keep a number open
due to fact that KNP is not a natural system. It is suggested however that the closure
of the artificial waterholes take place differently, following a principle of rotational
opening and closing of patches of waterholes to allow recovery of vegetation and
facilitate migration between waterholes.