Namibia
Trip Start
Oct 10, 2008
1
27
31
Trip End
Mar 01, 2009
Swakopmund, Namibia
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Namibia: Caprivi Strip and Etosha National Park
Namibia has always been a country we have been more interested in than others in southern Africa for the only reason that we almost would have emigrated to the then South West Africa almost 40 years ago for Hans to take a farm manager's job. We already had the air tickets to Windhoek and all vaccinations...but fate decided otherwise.
Namibia is one of the youngest of Africa's countries, gaining independence only in 1990. Before the Portuguese (15th century), Germans (end of 19th century to 1914) and South Africa used it as colonies with South Africa trying to annex it for many years, but the UN refused to sanction that after WWII. Namibia has a small population of just under 2 Million people and AIDS has taken its toll on the African population. It is rather poor, being largely desert, and has high unemployment and a corresponding crime rate.
The Caprivi Strip was our first impression of Namibia: Not only was it easy to cross the border from Botswana but the countryside changed into bush and villages, very clean and well-run campsites, very straight, wide and well-built roads with rest and parking places every 5km. The seating at the rest places all have cover from the sun: either a large tree or a thatched umbrella. The roads being so very straight can be a danger as it gets boring to drive and therefore very tiring. Swapping drivers often was necessary, but covering large distances became much easier.
It rained every day with thunderstorms in the afternoon. There were fields of maize between the bush-land and Africans selling wooden carvings, roof thatch and charcoal or firewood. The towns we passed through had great shopping centers with all facilities.
The Caprivi Strip is a corridor 500 km long and 70 km wide stretching eastwards from the NE corner of Namibia. It was traded in from British Betschuanaland (now Botswana) by the then German chancellor of the same name in 1890 as part of the Zanzibar for Heligoland deal in order to gain access to the Zambezi River and to connect to German East Africa and the Indian Ocean. However, the Zambezi proved un-navigable owing to the Victoria Falls, by then well known . . .?!
In more recent history the Caprivi Strip became a thoroughfare for all sorts of Guerillas fighting for the eventual independence of Angola and Namibia and is now a National Park.
From there we entered the Etosha National Park through its eastern gate at Namutoni and stayed at its resort camping site.
The Etosha (Great White Place of Dry Water) National Park has been a game reserve since 1905 when the then German Governor of South West Africa became concerned about the diminishing animal numbers. The park, then almost 100 000sq km, was reduced in size several times, the latest in 1970 when it became its present 23 000 sq km. The Etosha Pan (salt lake) with its white surface covers most of the eastern side of the park which is where we went game-driving while the western part is only accessible through local tour operators. The Park is home to a vast number of animals, many mammal and bird species and were amazed at the number and variety, as well as closeness we could get to the animals. We also noticed the many calves or young animals just a few weeks old. We think that these are born at the beginning of the rainy season to have a better chance of survival.
Each of the three large, very nice resorts has all facilities for sleeping, eating, shopping and a swimming pool to cool off in and swim some length after a day of driving. For us the more interesting resort was Namutoni, being a former German Fort that was built in 1899 by the German cavalry from which to control the northern border of the colony. The fort is whitewashed and still has its three entrances. The tower and the western wall are great places to sit and observe the sunset while having a sun downer.
After two days of game driving we exited in the south through the Okaukuejo gate. All three resorts have a waterhole with floodlights and a secure observation area to watch animals during the evening and night. We sat in amazement for an hour or so as springboks were grazing and interacting. It could be compared with a stage setting: back ground, foreground and a constant change of action.
Being the rainy season there was not the number and variety of animals as there would be in the dry season (August to October), as there is enough water lying around everywhere, so the animals are scattered over a large area and are difficult to spot in the long grass.
However, we had a close encounter of the Cheetah kind when visiting a Cheetah farm south of Etosha National Park: 7 000 ha running only 500 head cattle in bush! They always have problems with wild animals damaging trees and crops (elephants) and killing cattle (Cheetahs) The farmer used to shoot the cheetahs which is allowed in Namibia on your own property. 16 years ago the farmer decided to change this, built a huge enclosure, caught the offending cheetahs and now feeds 16 of them daily with donkey meat procured form a neighbour.
To diversify they also included an enclosed campsite among the trees, a bar, ablution blocks and feeding tours. We were taken into the cheetah enclosure standing on the back of bakkies (Africans for ute) and watched this amazing feeding frenzy. The cheetahs were quite aggressive while waiting for their piece, making noises just like in a cat fight. The chunks of meat, fur and all, where thrown into the air and the cats jumped up high for us to take good photos.
Unfortunately the Namibian government does not allow the export of cheetahs to other countries like Kenya, where stocks have been severely depleted by poachers.
The farm had a separate enclosure for a cheetah with three cups. The young family needed to be separated from the rest of the pack as the cubs would have been eaten by the grown cheetahs. They all got a piece of donkey and it was interesting to watch the 11 months old cubs interact with each other. Lots of rivalry going on. The cubs will be released into the large pen at age 20-22 months.
We also could pat three tame cheetahs now between seven and eleven years old, which roam free at the farm house. These three have names and come to the farmer when they are being called; they have been with the family since very small cubs when orphaned and the farmer's family keep them as pets. The fur feels quite coarse and is a bit curly. Like all cats they like caressing behind the ears and at the back of the head.
The future of these beautiful animals is uncertain but the farmer hopes to conserve their numbers temporarily for eventual relocation . . .?
