BOTSWANA PARKS: MOREMI WILDLIFE RESERVE

The Moremi Wildlife Reserve is of historic importance. It is the first within southern Africa to have been founded by an African people, the BaTawana, on their own tribal lands. The reserve is named for Chief Moremi III. It was his wife, during the regency after his death, who oversaw the groundbreaking change in 1963. Hunting in the area had been unrestrained and the wildlife population was low. These days Moremi has one of the best concentrations of game in Africa. Moremi is in the north-east of the Okavango Delta and adjoins the south-western corner of Chobe National Park. This allows the game to move between the two at will, and indeed from outside as the reserve is not enclosed, a facility made much use of by the large herds of elephant, among others, during the dry season.

This is a beautiful land. A land of waters and secret islands, forests and grassy plains. The bird watching is superb, there are over 400 species, ranging from the water birds such as pelican, cormorant, kingfishers and the endangered Pel's fishing owl to the ox-peckers that sit on the buffalos backs and eat their parasites. Marabou storks strut their stuff and jewel-bright sunbirds flit from tree to tree.

This is also a prime area for big game. Large herds of buffalo, big prides of lion, elephant (lots), leopard, giraffe, hippo and crocodile, cheetah and the rare wild "painted" dog, with its spottily patterned coat, may all be found. Of all the "big five" only the rhino is not found here, and is extinct bar a few experimental breeding programs. There are many of the antelope species including the little-seen sitatunga, a shy antelope that picks its way carefully through the waters. Vast herds of zebra and other game are found on Chief's Island's flood plains.

Moremi is absolutely fascinating in many ways. The strange ecology of the area depends on fire. Beneath this area are vast reserves of peat, prehistoric decayed vegetation, that is at very high temperature. Every so often the crust is broken and peat sets fire to the surrounding area. This burns the choking clumps of papyrus that would prevent germination of other plants and also enables the fan palms to germinate in a way reminiscent of the proteas of South Africa.