Flight from Cleveland to Washington and on to Johannesburg - A Short Safari Adventure Among Africa's Thorny Bushveld Wildlife - page 143

Namibian Sand dune
Namibia Desert Elephant
In comparison for economic impact, USA parks contribute $20 billion and returns nine times
the expenditure of $2.2 billion. It is worth noting that since the Pittman-Robertson Act was
enacted in 1937 the 11% excise tax on fishermen and hunter equipment has contributed about
$10 billion to conservation efforts in the USA and contributes $700 million annually. The
individual states spend $810 million but funding is being cut by $114 million, as in the case of
the Brooklyn Zoo by Mayor Bloomberg despite his happy memories of being introduced to
animals at the zoo. Attendance at USA parks has grown to 740 million people in 2010, but
overnight stay visits decreased to 60 million, down 2.6%, probably because of gas prices and
the economy.
Flying over Botswana:
The small plane on the screen continues to move across the Kalahari Desert from Namibia
and further into the Botswana area where the Kavango River brings life giving water to the
delta in the Kalahari Desert. My memories of Botswana are those of visiting wild untouched
Africa Eden's in the remote Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and the elephant choked
areas of Chobe.