Botswana, a mecca for wildlife photographers
Where in Africa is Botswana and what makes it so special?
Botswana is in southern Africa bordered by S. Africa, Namibia, Zambia & Zimbabwe. The diversity of habitat is what helps to make Botswana such an amazing place. The Kalahari desert to the south and east comprise about 70% of Botswana. The lush water ways of the Okavango Delta and the Chobe River are a stark contrast to the desert.
The Okavango is produced by seasonal flooding. The Okavango River drains the summer rainfall from the Angola highlands to the north and the surge flows 750 miles during the course of about one month. The water then spreads across the 14,000 sq miles of the delta over the next four months, creating an oasis for birds & mammals.
It is one of the few interior delta systems that does not flow into a sea or ocean. All the water reaching the delta is ultimately evaporated or absorbed.
Botswana is located in southern Africa with the latitude mark of the Tropic of Capricorn running through its center
My travels to the Chobe River and Okavango Delta
The Chobe River area may be the elephant capital of the world. Botswana boasts the largest population of elephants in Africa with an estimated 120,000 Kalahari elephants roaming the plains and riverbanks of the Chobe National Park. While cruising the Chobe, we encountered countless numbers of elephants eating, drinking, bathing and swimming in the river.
Click on any image below to show enlarged image
Ellie slinging & eating water lilies
This low angle, water level image, was taken from a specially designed photo boat.
Ear flapping elephant, eating and cooling off in the river
Photographing wildlife by boat along the Chobe River is a very unique experience. Close encounters are common and the animals are quite relaxed in the water. A variety of large herbivores take advantage of the lush vegetation in the river. Wading birds often tag alongside these huge beasts as they stir up insects, small fish and crustaceans that are readily consumed by the birds.
I was fortunate to have several epic Wild dog encounters on the Chobe River and in the Okavango Delta. I have seen Wild dogs in the past, but never like this. Each encounter was lengthy with great action and interaction. On 3 occasions we arrived at the time of the dogs taking down some prey or shortly after. Once satiated, they engaged in long play sessions before settling down to sleep in the shade for the remainder of the hot day.
There are only an estimated 7,000 wild dogs on the African continent. Wild dogs are highly social canids that are struggling for survival due to habitat destruction and human interaction.
Wild dog pack interactions
African Wild dog, also known as the Painted dog or Painted wolf
Wild dogs are extremely efficient hunters with an incredible 80% success rate. Compare that to lions whose success rate is only about 20%. Wild dogs hunt as a pack and literally run their prey to death. Wild dogs are built for endurance. They can sprint at speeds of over 40 mph and can run for miles on end, their prey finally losing the battle due to exhaustion.
Wild dogs with blood stained heads, often engage in long play sessions with full bellies.
I sat at the edge of a hippo pool (next to the safety of our jeep) in the Okavango Delta to take this eye level hippo photo. This image was taken in bright, harsh light so to avoid dark shadows, I used the "high key" technique of over exposing the background to bring out the details in the hippos.
Leopards are solitary cats that come together only to mate. This may not look like a mating pair, however, big cats often seem to have a mandatory "spat" following copulation.
Trio of giraffes... I again used a "high key" photo technique to bring out details in the giraffes and tree under the harsh bright sun.
These lions picked up the scent of a decaying “leopard kill” carcass in a tree . This lioness made repeated attempts to climb the tree in order to more closely investigate. Lions certainly do not possess the climbing abilities of leopards. As such, once this lion finally made it up the tree, she fell like a rock. However, in true cat fashion, she landed on all fours.
One lion climbing, one just looking
One lion falling, one just looking
Male lions are often not this handsome. This guy shows off a beautiful black & golden mane and has few facial scars.
This lioness was watching a vulture circle above. Note the blood stained face of this lioness, indicating the vulture was eyeing a "lion kill" lying nearby.
Whether you’re a photographer or just an avid wildlife enthusiast, Botswana has a great diversity of wildlife and habitats, making it truly one of the best destinations in Africa.
Stay focused
Rick