African Wildlife and Environment Issue 67

DESTINATION

For the first 100 kilometres, the river meanders between two parallel fault lines that run northwest to southeast, and the channel is lined with tall banks of Papyrus, the ‘paper-reed’. Occasional islands, clad in tropical wild date palms, provide basking and nesting grounds for some of the largest crocodiles I’ve ever seen, and we are constantly on the lookout for them and pods of mokoro-capsizing hippos. However it is the birds that are the highlight of this part of the journey. We are fortunate to see a ‘barbel run’ where packs of voracious catfish hunt smaller fish species which in turn are preyed upon by every kind of piscivorous bird in the Okavango. Reed cormorant and African darters swim among the thronging fish, while Rufous-bellied and Squacco herons, Great, Intermediate and Little ggrets clamber about the Papyrus waiting for unsuspecting fish. Goliath and Purple herons are stand-and-wait fishers too, but they don’t have to wait for long! African fish eagles swoop spectacularly with outstretched talons to catch predatory Tigerfish right in front of our eyes! The Panhandle is also the haunt of Pel’s fishing-owl and, at the right time of year, nesting African skimmers and large vibrant breeding colonies of Southern Carmine and White-fronted bee-eaters. At the end of the Panhandle, the water spreads out, freed from the constraints of the fault lines, and now we have to put our trust in Sarefo since there is no longer a single, distinct channel. As we make our way through a sparse Phagmites reedbed, all thoughts are on the swamp-dwelling Sitatunga which prefers this habitat – it has long splayed hooves and is able to walk across reed mats and small floating islands.

Twice we hear their hoarse alarm barks followed by splashing and crashing, but frustratingly are unable to catch even a glimpse of one. Visibility is severely limited by the reeds, but Sarefo heads unerringly towards a small island where he knows we can camp. Amid the hum of a million mosquitos we set up our bedrolls and nets, and spend another night under the stars listening to the grunting of hippos and the tremulous whistle of the Swamp nightjar. For several days now we have experienced the ‘wet aspect’ of the Okavango, seeing how the annual flood-pulse rejuvenates the system. Gradually, the scenery changes from predominantly water with little dry land to larger islands separated by lily-covered channels. Here the open floodplains teem with aquatic life, as what were previously dry grasslands are now shallowly inundated with life-giving water. Fish and frogs are clearly visible in the crystal clear water, and dragonflies and other invertebrates fill the air. Red lechwe graze the fresh green shoots and, if disturbed, sprint effortlessly through the shallows in a spray of water droplets. The mokoro is equally at home in this habitat type – it is a craft designed for effortless poling across shallow floodplains. I can see from my GPS that Sarefo is taking us across the Jao Flats and southwards following the Boro distributary which eventually leads to Maun. Now we begin to see the other face of the Delta, for which it is equally famous – the Okavango as a big game paradise. Every day we encounter elephants – breeding herds and small groups of bulls – and enjoy watching them frolic in the cool, clear water. Their enjoyment is palpable as they push and shove

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