With over 43% of the country protected, Botswana is home to some of the world’s most abundant and diverse wildlife populations. Two immense wetlands, the Chobe-Linyanti-Zambezi Wetland and the Okavango Delta, support Africa’s largest concentration of carnivores in Africa and is home to over 80,000 elephants. The people of Botswana have been living with wildlife for thousands of years, but as wildlife and human populations increase it is imperative to understand what services animals provide to people and the ecosystems they are part of, and how these communities and wildlife can continue to live together in beneficial ways.

In Botswana there is much debate over whether large herbivore populations, especially elephants, are degrading the ecosystems they rely on as their populations increase. Round River students are currently assisting in research designed to determine how large herbivores affect the annual productivity of vegetation in the Okavango Delta and along the Chobe–Linyanti wetland. This study will include determining whether large herbivores provide valuable nutrient cycling, create browsing and grazing areas and function as seed dispersal mechanisms that allow for greater productivity than systems without these large animals. Students will also be engaged in wildlife movement patterns studies, and biodiversity assessments while working closely with rural communities.

Round River students will conduct research in the Okavango Delta, while living in rustic, tented field camps.

Courses Offered:

• Applied Conservation Biology (3 credits)
• Introduction to Biological Field Methods (3 credits)
• Natural History of Botswana (3 credits)
• Human Impacts on Ecology (3 credits)
• Humans and the Environment (3 credits)

Download course outlines here

Program Dates:

• February 17 - May 11
• September 20 - December 13

What to Expect:

This is a new program for Round River; our very first program is currently underway in Botswana this spring (February - May 2012). As we develop our relationships with local partners, our research will take shape and we will identify long-term goals. This program, Round River students have been assisting PhD student Kina Murphy, from the University of New Mexico, with her research on how large herbivores affect primary plant productivity and species composition in the Okavango Delta and Linyanti region. Students have been conducting vegetation surveys (identifying species, estimating percentage cover for each species in a grid, taking leaf and soil samples to determine productivity, and measuring growth rates of tress) as well as game counts (to record abundance and seasonal distribution of wildlife). Future programs may include similar field work, or our research may shift to focus more on vegetation surveys, habitat mapping, and wildlife distribution. We are excited to see where our collaborations take us.

Students should expect to spend most of their time in the field, conducting research. Field work will be supplemented by academics: readings, discussions, lectures from program instructors, and guest lectures from visiting and local researchers (as availability allows). Study sites will be accessed by vehicle, and students should be prepared to spend time in vehicles (i.e. during game counts), as well as time outside conducting vegetation surveys in hot weather. The group will be camping while in Botswana, at a number of different camp sites. The group will be fairly mobile, moving camp as needed to make data collection efficient. Students will be expected to help with tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and maintaining equipment. Because wildlife is abundant, students will be expected to follow strict guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone in the group. This program provides an amazing opportunity to experience the rich biodiversity of Botswana first hand, while earning credits and gaining valuable field skills.

Round River programs are unique; no one program is the same as the last. Because our research in Botswana is tied to our local partners, students will assist with various projects depending on outside research needs. This means that students may spend an entire semester assisting with one research project, or they may have the opportunity to assist with a handful of different projects. Regardless, students can expect to learn valuable field methods, learn a vast number of native species, hone field journaling techniques, and by the end of the program will come away with a good understanding of community-based conservation in Botswana. Students may also have the opportunity to work with local villages, leading environmental or health education activities.

Because of the nature of our programs, schedules will change and students are expected to be flexible and adapt to ever-evolving semester plans. This is the reality of working in conservation at the ground level in an African country. Students should arrive onsite with a positive attitude and the willingness to take advantage of each and every opportunity available, and to adjust to "Africa time." For students willing to be challenged physically and mentally, this program offers an incredible opportunity to experience Botswana and gain diverse perspectives on conservation in southern Africa.

More information will be available soon. Please email any questions to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .