"Nowhere else is the lifegiving power of water so clearly demonstrated"

November 11, 2022 12:43 PM

In winter, the Kalahari Basin in northern Botswana is a dusty, windswept wasteland of scrubby flora, with precious little rain. But not for long. As captured by a somber and wondrous segment from the original BBC Planet Earth, summer showers from the Angolan highlands soon feed a meandering river that splays out across the wilderness, flooding a vast inland delta that transforms hundreds of miles of arid desert into a verdant everglade teeming with life: the Okavango. This seasonal miracle, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa's Seven Natural Wonders, attracts all manner of megafauna that have adapted to its myriad creeks and lagoons, from migratory birds and amphibians to all five Big Game species (making it a boon for ecosafaris). And though it is (like most things) under threat from exploitation and climate change, conservationists worldwide are working tirelessly to defend it.

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posted by Rhaomi (4 comments total)

(PS: Realized there may be compatibility/playback problems on some devices with that first raw MP4 link, but it should work when viewed within the Archive.org player. Definitely the highlight of the post.)
posted by Rhaomi at 12:57 PM on November 11, 2022 [2 favorites]

The Okavango water system is the focus of the captivating eight-part podcast Guardians of the River, produced last year by the Wild Bird Trust with House of Pod, available via all the various podcast platforms (some eps also in Setswana and Portuguese).
posted by progosk at 1:21 PM on November 11, 2022 [1 favorite]

wonderful post Rhaomi this is a place I have long wanted to visit. so much beauty and so much wildlife!! I'm glad people are working together to protect this unique place, for both the people and animals who rely upon it.

the Big Game Species link has a bazillion amazing animal photos!
posted by supermedusa at 10:30 AM on November 12, 2022

Thank you so much Rhaomi! Looking forward to digging through the many links.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 6:45 PM on November 12, 2022