Page 28 - Discover Botswana 24th Edition 2024

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O KAVA N G O
Every year thousands of visitors travel to the Okavango
Delta attracted by magnificent landscapes and a profusion
of large game. Yet few people experience what really makes
the Okavango tick – the diversity and abundance of life that
is to be found beneath the picturesque scenes of waterlilies
and jacanas. Hidden in the clear waters are the building
blocks of an ecosystem without which the Okavango Delta would not exist.
A boat cruise will provide a glimpse of this realm, introducing hippos –
the engineers – maintaining and opening channels, crocodiles – the apex
predators – to be respected and given a wide berth, and a wealth of birdlife
fed by the vast wetlands. More than a quarter of the 400-odd birds found
in the Okavango region are considered wetland species.
For a more immersive experience a local poler will guide you through
the shallow waters of the Okavango in a traditional dugout canoe called
a mokoro. Gliding slowly and quietly through the channels, you can get
much closer to nature. You will be treated to intricately patterned Angolan
Reed Frogs (one of 30 species of frog) and a selection of the 90 or so
dragonfly species reliant on the Okavango’s waters. Looking down into the
crystal-clear waters you might glimpse a large Tigerfish darting away from
the mokoro and you may be lucky enough to observe Spotted-necked or
Cape clawless otters foraging for crabs.
Previous pages: The Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), the apex predator within the waterways of the Okavango.
Image: Cory Richards
Above (top): The intricately patterned Angolan Reed Frog (Hyperolius parallelus) - one of some 30 species of frog
occurring in the Okavango Delta. Image: Gerhard Diederiks
Above: Mokoro - traditional dugout canoes provide a serene introduction to the wonders of the Okavango. Many
a visitor to the region will undertake a mokoro trail gliding through the tranquil waterways in search of the smaller
species of the delta. Image: Thalefang Charles
Facing page: Not only do Blue Water Lilies (Nymphaea nouchali ) add beauty to watery landscapes they are also an
important food source for local communities who eat their tubers (known as tswii in Setswana). Image: Chris Boyes