Despite the dry Kalahari desert, Botswana is one of the most fertile countries in Africa. This is mainly due to magical rivers such as the Chobe, Linyanti and Zambezi and the unique wet landscape of the famous Okavan Modelta. This combination results in a rich ecosystem, in which nature uses its own 'water engineers'.
Text: Angelique van Os | Photography: Henk Bothof
Peaceful solutions
We continue talking about human versus wildlife conflicts in Botswana in the previous part I and II. The dosed shooting of elephants by professionals of the dikskins around problem areas is not a solution, we hear from different sources. This means that a completely healthy family will die, including pregnant heifers and young and baby elephants. An elephant is known for its good memory and can mourn for days when a family member dies. And chances are they will return to the same places. Hopefully there will be more peaceful solutions, which will have a long-term effect. There are success stories, for example, that the animals are kept away with beehives. And there are several international universities and organizations that study the forms of elephant migration. Arnold Tshipa has been investigating the migration and movement of 32 elephants around Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe) for Wilderness for a number of years. Some of them wear a gps-tracking band. In a nutshell, it can be seen that there are animals that barely move around, there are herds that travel short distances and there were eight elephants that crossed the border at Botswana. The migrations are important for the distribution of the families, which can cause the animals to settle in neighbouring countries. Arnold: "It is essential that the elephants are able to move around the major rivers and along the corridors. We will discuss this with politicians in order to stimulate this approach. And if we have more knowledge about why elephants migrate - apart from the dry versus wet season - then we might as well lead them to similar areas where they feel at home. The downside is that such research and the movement of elephants is a very expensive affair and governments must be prepared to give up land so that they can receive elephants."
Finally, education also plays an important role in the future of elephants, as well as other endangered species such as big cats and the African Wild Dog, which are also the inhabited world crosses. According to Sue Goatley of Children of the Wilderness, education is a key role. Sue has been working in the field as a teacher and school principal for many years and coordinates school projects in the Zambezi region. She is involved in the Wilderness Eco-clubs, which have 18 primary schools. For each school, thirty pupils follow a special nature conservation program for four years. Sue: "Children under the age of twelve are sponges and with the right guidance they can absorb a lot of knowledge, such as how best to deal with wild animals in their environment. The great thing is that pupils not only pass on knowledge to each other, but also to their family members. The children convince their parents or warn them not to kill animals, but they can act in other ways when there is danger. And that they can even - with increasing tourism - take advantage of it."
Small water life
The daily problems are hardly visible during our trip. But it keeps us constantly busy, because nature has to fight hard for its existence. When we drive with Robert through the northern flanks of the delta, in the Kwedi concession, again the peaceful silence is overwhelming. The vastness. And every time the surprise. Also for Rob as a researcher: "This is such a unique area. It continues to amaze me. Recently I discovered a new species of dragonfly and lastly near the lodge, Vumbura Plains, a new carnivorous plant species that seems to come from the Congo River. Certainly the varied little water life that takes place here fascinates me." And that's what we see when we get into a mokoro. This traditional hollowed out tree trunk has traditionally served as the main means of transport in the delta. In the meantime, the wooden examples have been replaced by durable, light fiberglass canoes. The helmsman uses a long stick to move the boat. We glide criss-cross between the high reed and along countless papyruses. From the water level we see small insects flying by, frogs jumping off leaves and small kingfishers taking a dive. The shallow water is clear and warm to the touch. I doze away a bit and think back to all the impressive experiences of this trip. To the many elephant families I have been able to observe and to their uncertain future. The three little ones of only a few months old who greeted each other, the clown of the family, who gave a show with a stick and then got tangled up with his trunk. And the caring mothers who kept an eye on things in the background. I can't get enough of it. Nor of this paradisiacal landscape and its inhabitants, in which the power of water, the source of life, is all-encompassing.
BACKGROUND Wilderness Safaris
Wilderness Safaris is one of the few organizations in Botswana that has the means to rent or lease a number of concessions from the government. The exclusivity is not only in the really beautifully decorated, luxurious tents and lodges, which are often equipped with natural materials and perfectly fit in with the vast landscape. It's all about the overall picture. The location at the waterfront is breathtaking at all four camps we visited -Toka Leya (Zambia), DumaTau, Quoroke and Vumbura Plains-. The friendliness, service and knowledge of the local staff deserves a compliment. The healthy local products are a party and finally the daily activities are varied and the knowledge of the rangers is always astonishing. In order to minimise the impact of tourism, Wilderness only uses solar panels, which also heat its own purified water. This water comes from the rivers and the swamp. To this end, Wilderness employs managers who apply as clean ecosystems as possible.
The cars and their own planes do have an impact, of course, but they are necessary to get around in this country. Wilderness compensates their CO2 emissions by planting new forests. Furthermore, with their impressive contributions from the Wilderness Wildlife Trust, which has been in existence since the end of the 1980s, they want to make the difference in sustainable tourism. The trust focuses on nature conservation, research, education, running their own anti-poaching management and supports and involves local communities in their projects. There are dozens of projects that the Trust makes possible. But the relationship is symbiotic: without tourism there is no trust and therefore no conservation. Finally, the non-profit organization Children in the Wilderness has an important role to play, with a focus on various educational projects.
More information: wilderness-safaris.com
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