The Meeting of Four Countries and Two Great Rivers

The Meeting of Four Countries and Two Great Rivers

The meeting point of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe occurs at the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers close to a little town in Botswana called Kazungula. Aside from the novel meeting of four countries - all of which can be seen from the border post ferry across the Zambezi - it is also a meeting point of several distinct habitat types and home to perhaps the largest African Elephant population on Earth.

The various habitat types are Mopane Woodland, Kalahari Sands, Thornveld, Miombo Woodland, Papyrus Swamps and also elements of Lowland Forest, all of which allow for a diverse mix of mammals and birds in some areas. In Hwange National Park for example, Gemsbok (Oryx), a species typical of arid areas, occurs side by side with Sable, an inhabitant of moist woodland, while Oribi, usually associated with upland grasslands, can be seen side-by-side with Buffalo in the Kazuma pan area, not to mention the swamp dwelling Sitatunga found in the Linyanti. The region's Elephant population is variously estimated at anything between 35 000 and 50 000 and is considered to be growing. Given a total population in Africa of perhaps 400 000 to 500 000 this is a significant figure and one which helps account for the controversial plan by these four countries (as well as South Africa) to propose the sale of 89 tonnes of ivory at the upcoming CITES meeting in November. These Elephant range over an enormous area that includes the Chobe National Park and several large forest reserves in Botswana, Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, Matetsi Safari Area and Zambezi National Park, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia and Zambia's Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. It is essentially a de facto Transfrontier Park with Elephants in particular paying little attention to international boundaries or the small towns in the area. It is not at all uncommon for visitors to see Elephant and Buffalo - or even Wild Dog - along the roadside on the fringes of towns like Kasane, Kazungula and Victoria Falls. In the driest times of the year thousands of Elephants are attracted from the dry interior to the river frontage of the Chobe and Zambezi and their well-worn paths heading to the water edge are obvious. The lack of riverine vegetation in areas where the Elephants have access is also apparent and cause for some concern in its impact on the local subspecies of Bushbuck.

Two real gems of the area are the Chobe River and floodplain and the Zambezi River with its spectacular Victoria Falls. The Chobe floodplain is perhaps the best place in southern Africa to see the Puku antelope at the very southern reach of its distribution and during the dry season the area is inundated with large herds of game - particularly Elephant and Buffalo - all of it observed at leisure from a boat cruise on the river or a game drive in the national park. ‘Mosi oa Tunya', or ‘the smoke that thunders' as Victoria Falls is known, needs no introduction. David Livingstone was the first European to see this spectacle when in 1855 he was taken downstream along the Zambezi by the local people and famously said of them "on sights as beautiful as this the angels in their flight must have gazed" before naming them for his queen.

CC Africa's representation in the area is about 40km west of Victoria Falls and comes in the form of Matetsi Water and Safari Lodges situated in a 50 000 hectare concession that lies along the Zambezi River and borders the Zambezi National Park. Game viewing here is often spectacular with large herds of Elephant, Buffalo and Sable being common sightings, particularly in the dry season. It is also well known for its Wild Dog sightings, a pack having denned regularly on the concession since CC Africa's presence in 1996. Rare species such as Roan and Eland can also be seen while birders will be thrilled with sightings of species such as Rock Pratincole (July to January), White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Racquet-tailed Roller, Schalow's Turaco, African Finfoot and Pel's Fishing Owl. An ongoing bird of prey nest survey in the concession has revealed the nests of exciting species such as the White-headed Vulture and African Hawk Eagle.

-Chris Roche-

Posted: Other by CC Africa, Date: 21 November 2006