Savuti’s Mystery – Part 1
Botswana – Chobe | Anno 2022
The Mababe Depression is an immense basin, 50 by 90 km. Only when water flows through the Savuti Canal does it flood. But exactly when that happens remains a mystery. No one can predict it
The canal was dry from 1888 to 1957, and again from 1982 to 2008. But since 2013, the water has disappeared again. The phenomenon certainly has nothing to do with the water level of the Okavango or Zambezi. Tectonic movements are more likely causing this bizarre phenomenon
Despite the drought, in the Mababe Depression you can still find Angolan giraffes, …
…huge herds of buffalo…
|
…and even bush elephants – large ones and very tiny ones |
|
A temperature of around 40°C (104°F) is no fun for lions either
Any exertion is avoided, only evaporating moisture by panting provides some cooling
Natural waterholes in the Savuti region are usually dry. Artificial waterholes like Rhinovlei are meant to alleviate this shortage. Pumps powered by solar panels bring the precious water to the surface
While the elephants quench their thirst, a Burchell’s starling inspects their droppings
A family group usually consists of several females and their offspring. If a four-year-old male begins to show an unhealthy interest in his sisters and aunts, he must leave the group
Night falls, a leopard goes hunting
Giraffes are not doing well in Africa, but Angolan giraffes are the proverbial exception
The number of Angolan giraffes in southern Africa is estimated at twenty-five to thirty thousand and is increasing
Scotty is the only lion the rangers have ever named. But he's no longer the dominant male he once was. He's already lost part of his tail in fights
A lion has dug up the carcass of an impala from under a bush to continue eating it
Leopard
Leopard
Impala (f)
Young impala (m)
African baobab
Gardenia tree…
…with white and yellow flowers
Barely twenty centimetres tall, the pearl-spotted owlet dares to catch prey larger than itself with its large, powerful talons
The lesser spotted eagle usually lays two eggs. But the chick that hatches first will always kill the younger chick. This behaviour is innate; the parents do nothing to prevent it
The Kalahari apple leaf is sometimes called a rain tree because bugs pierce holes in its bark to suck the sap. They filter out the sugars and salts, releasing the moisture
It often drips under these trees, to such an extent that sometimes a puddle even forms
The kori bustard, Botswana's national bird weighs 11 to 19 kg, making it one of the heaviest birds that can fly. But it only does so in dire need
In the wild, the kori bustard can live for about 20 years. However, the species is declining due to its shrinking habitat and human hunting for its meat
Lions don't have a fixed mating season. However, lionesses within a pride often come into heat simultaneously, resulting in the birth of several cubs at the same time
The capped wheatear is an insectivore that likes to survey the terrain from a hill or a tree trunk
Not only its scarlet belly and black wings with a white stripe make this crimson-breasted shrike a striking little bird, but also its restless and noisy behaviour
The blue waxbill also likes savannas with thorn bushes near water bodies. Except for its crown and wings, it is completely blue
Lilac-breasted roller
Elephants come to the artificial waterhole Rhinovlei not only to drink…
…but also to take a bath
But you can't really call this elephant clean after his bath
Shade is of utmost importance during the hottest part of the day
A lion seeks shade under a bush,…
…blue wildebeest seek shade under a tree, …
…elephants seek shade under a tree, …
|
…and even giraffes find a tree tall enough to provide shade |
|
Here and there, isolated, rocky hills rise above the savanna. These Gubatsa Hills are a reminder of the volcanic activity that must have taken place here 980 million years ago
Jaak Palmans
© 2025 | Version 2025-08-30 14:00