U
ntil the late ninete e n t h c e n t u r y, h u m a n
set tlement in this re g i o n w a s n a t u ra l l y
inhibited by the d re a d e d b l a c k w a te r
fever
(malaria)
whilst
tsetse
fly
decimated the tre k - oxe n a n d c a t t l e o f
prospective early s e t t l e r s . M o s q u i to a n d
tse tse fly were the m a s te r s o f t h e Va l l e y,
turning it into a
death-trap
humans
for
and
domestic animals
a l i k e . I r o n i c a l l y,
these
insects
played
double
the
role
of
game warden in
the protection of
the
fauna
and
flora of this area. Long after most
remaining
wildlife
disappeared
from
much of Southern A f r i c a , t h i s v a l l e y s t i l l
tee med with wild a n i m a l s o f a l l s i ze ,
10
s hap e and descri p t i o n .