Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is a big, wet place.

It sits in the land of Botswana. It is part of the Kalahari Desert.

The water does not flow to the sea. Instead, the sun turns the water into air. This makes the area a green oasis. Many animals come here to drink. You might see a lion or a cheetah.

It is a very special place to visit.

The Okavango Delta is a huge, wet place.

It sits in the country of Botswana. It is part of the Kalahari Desert. Most rivers flow into the sea. This river does not. Instead, the water stays in the land. The sun turns the water into air. This makes the delta a green oasis in a dry land.

Each year, the water levels change. Floods come from the Angola highlands. The water spreads over the land. This makes the delta three times its normal size. Many animals come to find water. You can see lions and leopards.

There are also many birds. You might see an African fish eagle. There are even 71 kinds of fish.

People live near the delta too. Some groups use small boats called makoros.

They use the water for fishing and farming. Farmers use a special way to grow food. They use leftover moisture in the soil. This is called molapo farming.

It helps them grow crops after the floods go away.

The Okavango Delta is a massive, green oasis in the middle of a dry land.

It is located in the country of Botswana, inside the Kalahari Desert. Most rivers flow into the ocean, but this one is different. The Okavango River flows into a low area and stays there. The water does not reach a sea or a lake. Instead, the hot sun turns the water into vapor through evaporation.

This special place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also known as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.

Seasonal floods bring the delta to life every year. The water starts as rain in the Angola highlands during January and February. This water flows into the delta over several months. By the time June to August arrives, the delta swells to three times its normal size. This happens during the dry winter months in Botswana. The flooding creates a huge area for many different living things to find water.

The land is very flat, so the water spreads out widely. The water level drops slowly as it moves from Mohembo toward Maun.

Many different animals call this wetland their home. You can find the "big five" animals here, such as lions and elephants.

The lechwe antelope is the most common large mammal, with about 88,000 of them. There are also over 400 kinds of birds, like the African fish eagle. In the water, 71 different types of fish live, including the tigerfish. Some animals, like the rhinoceros, have faced hard times from poachers. Because of this, the government has had to move some rhinos to keep them safe.

Plants play a very important role in shaping the land. The river carries mostly sand instead of mud. Plants act like glue to hold the sand in place. This helps create new islands where more plants can grow. Some islands are even made from old termite mounds.

On some islands, the soil becomes too salty for most plants. Only a few salt-resistant palm trees can grow in those white patches. Chief's Island is the largest island in the whole delta.

Different groups of people have lived near the water for a long time. The Hambukushu, Dceriku, Wayeyi, Bugakhwe, and Gxanekwe are among the local groups. Some people use small boats called makoros to move through the water.

Farmers also use the moisture left in the soil after floods. They call these wet areas "molapo" and use them to grow crops. To help with this, people built bunds with gates to control the water.

This helps them grow food even when the floods change.

The Okavango Delta is a massive inland delta located in Botswana. It sits within the central part of the Kalahari Desert. Most river systems eventually flow into a sea or an ocean. However, the Okavango is an endorheic basin. This means the water does not reach the sea. Instead, the water reaches a tectonic trough. The water eventually disappears through evaporation and transpiration.

This unique wetland is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was also named one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa in 2013.

The delta functions through a cycle of seasonal flooding. The process begins in the Angola highlands. Heavy summer rains fall there during January and February. This water flows into the Okavango River. The surge travels toward the delta over about one month. The water then spreads across the landscape from March to June. High temperatures cause rapid evaporation and transpiration. This creates three distinct cycles of rising and falling water levels.

Flood peaks occur between June and August. This happens during the dry winter months in Botswana. During this time, the delta swells to three times its permanent size. The land is extremely flat with very little height variation. The water level drops about 90 meters from Mohembo to Maun. This massive influx of water creates a huge concentration of wildlife.

This seasonal change is vital for the ecosystem's survival.

The geography of the delta includes many unique islands. About 70% of these islands began as termite mounds. Trees take root on these mounds of soil to grow. Some islands contain barren white patches in their centers. This happens because salt accumulates around plant roots. These areas become too salty for most plants. Only occasional salt-resistant palm trees can grow there. Chief's Island is the largest island in the delta. A fault line uplifted this area over several millennia.

Wildlife thrives in this environment due to the water. The delta is home to the "big five" animals. These include lions, leopards, African buffalo, elephants, and rhinoceroses. The lechwe is the most abundant large mammal. There are approximately 88,000 lechwe in the area.

You can also find cheetahs and African wild dogs. The delta hosts over 400 bird species. These include the African fish eagle and the marabou stork.

There are also 71 different fish species living in the water.

Plants are essential for shaping the physical delta. The river carries a heavy load of sand. Because the water is clean, there is very little mud. Plants act like glue to hold the sand together. This process creates new islands over time. As plants capture sand, the river banks build up. This can cause the river to change its course. Old river channels become blocked by plant growth. These old banks then become linear islands.

Human groups have lived near the delta for a long time. The Hambukushu, Dceriku, Wayeyi, Bugakhwe, and Gxanekwe are local ethnic groups. Some people use makoros to navigate the water.

Farmers use the moisture left in the soil after floods. They call these areas molapo. They grow crops using this residual moisture. To manage this, people built bunds with sluice gates. These structures help control flooding for recession cropping.

This allows for more stable food production in the region.