Chobe River Floodplains – Part 2
Botswana – Chobe | Anno 2022
Chobe floodplain
The white-crowned lapwing has an impressive yellow wattle
The nest of a white-crowned lapwing is nothing more than a shallow depression in the sand. The clutch consists of two to four eggs, which the parents protect from the heat during the day with wet breast feathers
Both sexes have spurs on their thumb wings. These are formidable weapons when defending their nests
African carmine bee-eater
Not much remains of the blue wildebeest's carcass, but the white-backed vulture is not giving up hope
Nile crocodiles are primarily active at night, usually basking in the sun during the day. But if prey comes along, they won't hesitate to snap it off
Young Nile crocodiles have an olive brown to dark brown colour
A reptile just like a crocodile, but a few sizes smaller, that's the Nile monitor. While it can grow up to two meters long, it doesn't have the imposing body of a crocodile
The Nile monitor uses its blue-black tongue to detect scent particles in the air. Because this tongue is forked, it can smell ‘in stereo’ and thus locate potential prey
Reed cormorant
Elephants seek coolness in the shade of a tree
In case of a possible threat, the adult elephants form a circle around the young…
…and wait almost motionlessly for what happens
The closest relative of the roan antelope is the sable antelope, with which it is sometimes confused
The roan antelope is not currently threatened with extinction, but this is mainly due to the more northerly populations, as it is less numerous in southern Africa
Roan antelope (f)
The black-backed jackal is a canid – a domesticated dog has more in common with a black-backed jackal than with a wild dog
Brown hyenas are nocturnal; you rarely see them during the day. They are scavengers, and with their strong teeth, they can even break bones. They only don't eat hair, hooves, and horns
What makes Sedudu Island in the Chobe River so special is the fact that it barely rises above the water's surface. It is completely waterlogged, even partially swampy. The grass is green all year round
So it’s a paradise for the animals, at least as far as they can and want to swim. Lions don't like such a swim. This makes Sedudu safe for the other animals
Elephants also appreciate the juicy green grass of Sedudu
It wasn't until 1999 that the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that Sedudu belongs not to Namibia, but to Botswana. The Botswana flag is a clear reminder of this
To reduce the burden of horseflies, buffalos often take a mud bath
Buffalo can live up to 26 years. They normally live in large herds, but older bulls sometimes live solitary lives
More than half of a Nile crocodile's prey consists of fish. These are always swallowed whole, head first. This prevents the crocodile from getting the fish stuck in its throat with any spines
The Nile crocodile also hunts antelope, buffalo, warthogs, young hippos, and even larger cats like lions. Once the crocodile can drag its prey underwater, it is irretrievably lost
People are also sometimes attacked by Nile crocodiles. It is estimated that several hundred people fall prey to Nile crocodiles each year, especially in Tanzania
A Nile monitor searches for eggs in a burrow it found in the steep riverbank
About five hundred people die every year from a hippopotamus attack. On their short legs, they can easily run 45 kilometres per hour. A human is therefore completely helpless when a three-ton hippo comes charging at them
But hippos also like to fight among themselves. The marks on their skin are silent witnesses to this
African darter
Great egret
Yellow-billed stork
Almost motionless, the pied kingfisher hovers above the water, looking down while holding its head still. This requires a great deal of energy from the bird, as it must constantly beat its wings as hard as the (weak) wind blows
From a high branch, an African fish eagle surveys the water. If it sees a fish appear near the surface, it dives to snatch it
White-crowned lapwings defend their nests very aggressively, even if the attacker is a hippo
With its long beak the common sandpiper collects insects from the ground, but it sometimes also catches them from the air
In search of food, the African skimmer flies low over the water with its beak open. If prey touches its bill, it immediately snaps shut
The characteristic opening between the two halves of the bill of the African spoonbill only appears when it is fully grown
African spoonbill, black-winged stilt
Elephants thrive in Botswana. The country boasts one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. But the question arises to what extent this is a blessing and a curse
During the dry winter season, elephants rely on trees for food. They eat leaves, bark, and roots, causing enormous devastation
Depending on age and sex, elephants consume 140 to 490 kilograms of plant material every day, while…
…adult elephants drink up to 120 litres of water per day
However, scientific research shows that the damage remains limited and that elephants actually help to preserve biodiversity
Trees appear to suffer from elephant violence only in a zone less than five kilometres around the water
Provided there are sufficiently large distances between permanent water sources – at least 50 km – the ecosystem can indeed support large elephant populations
Elephants also appreciate the juicy grass of Sedudu
The deep waters of the Chobe River do not stop elephants from making their way to Sedudu
A solitary male elephant wanders the island
At dusk, fishermen are at work while Cape buffalo roam the Namibian banks of the Chobe River
Jaak Palmans
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