Etosha national park
INTRODUCTION
The Etosha National park* is a great natural reserve of Namibia, to 400 km north of Windhoek, of a surface of 22 275 km ². The public approximately has access only to one third of the park, corresponding to the drained salted lake (side of Etosha). This lake, drained several million years ago, fills of water at the rain season, attracting thousands of birds, in particular pink flamingos. In dialect nama, Etosha means the great vacuum. That refers to a depression covering approximately 5 000 km².
HISTORY
The national park of Etosha was created on March 22nd, 1907, whereas Namibia was still a German colony. At that time the surface of origin covered approximately 100 000 km² what made of it the largest national park* of the world. Because of the political changes since its creation date, the park of Etosha covers from now on nothing any more but the quarter of its initial surface. Today the surface of the park is of 20 000 km² and does not remain about it less one very wide and significant field for the protection of the wildlife.
FLORA OF THE PARK
The vegetation of the park of Etosha varies savanna strewn with dwarf shrubs and immense meadows to the forests of mopane. The ecosystem is composed mainly of arid savannas, shrubs and thorny undergrowth west of park, whereas in the east one more generally finds a savanna raised and forests of leafy trees.
The mopane is a tree which constitutes 90% of the trees of the park but several other species of acacias are also found, a certain number of Combretum. The graminaceous dominant ones are : Anthephora, Enneapogon, Artisda et Stipagrotis.
One of the points where the vegetation is more surprising, the phantom forest of moringa, trees similar to baobab trees (the San legend wants that after having distributed all the animals and all the plants on the ground, God discovered forgotten trees. It then launched them in the air and they fell down on the ground, their roots pointed towards the sky and they remained in this way ! Unfortunately, these trees are appreciated by the many elephants of the Park, and much were destroyed.
THE FAUNA OF THE PARK
The protection of the park as well as the presence of water supply points make a refuge for a good amount of animals of it. More than 114 species of mammals, more than 100 of reptiles, and more than 340 of birds are listed inside the park.
In the nothern country, Etosha represents with its 23 200km² one of the greatest animalist reserves in the world. In the middle of the park the "Pan" old lake drained, fills at the rain season and then attracts an impressive fauna which one can observe of very near : springboks, gemsboks, Greater Kudu, zèbras*, giraffes, lions*, cheetahs*, leopards*, hyènas, elephants, impalas, Monitor lizards, wildebeests, black rhinoceros* etc… The temperature can reach 32° with fresh evenings, particularly in August, in the middle of the dry season which will be favourable with the observation of the animals.
AVIFAUNA OF THE PARK
The avifauna of the national park of Etosha does not have anything has to envy the other parks. Here below some quite particular places of the reserve where one can observe innumerable species of birds :
Fisher's Pan : When wet - Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Lesser Flamingo and Greater Flamingo, Yellow-billed Stork, African Openbill, Saddle-billed Stork.
Namutoni Camp : The waterhole occasionally holds some good birds including Caspian Plover (summer), Greater Painted-snipe and other waders. The woodland around this camp holds small numbers of Bradfield's Hornbill.
Bloubokkie Draai : The best place in Etosha to see Black-faced Babbler.
Andoni Plains : Good for larks, particularly Eastern Clapper Lark, Red-capped Lark, Fawn-coloured Lark, Sabota Lark, Spike-heeled Lark, Pink-billed Lark and Stark's Lark. Grey-backed Sparrowlark and Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark are common here too. The small Blue Crane population at Etosha is most evident here. The kalahari sands hold Burchell's Sandgrouse.
Springfontein : The open flats here are good for both Double-banded Courser and Temminck's Courser. Some years the grasslands here hold very important numbers of Black-winged Pratincole. Occasional bushy patches hold the isolated Etosha population of the Rufous-eared Warbler. The open grassland flats here are good for Pallid Harrier and Montagu's Harrier.
Etosha Lookout : When the pan is wet waterfowl, storks and flamingo's abound. This is one of only two areas in southern Africa where flamingo's breed. Chestnut-banded Plover and Caspian Plover abound in good years. Occasionally small numbers of Wattled Crane and Grey Crowned Crane occur on the pan in the wet season.
Halali Camp : This camp is the best place in Etosha for Namibian specials. Bare-cheeked Babbler, Violet Wood-Hoopoe and Carp's Tit all occur on the wooded knoll behind the camp waterhole, all of these species occasionally wander right into the camp. Southern White-faced Scops-Owl occurs in the camp.
Okaukuejo Camp : The camp itself holds Sociable Weaver and the associated Pygmy Falcon as well as several species more typical of drier habitats such as the Southern Pied Babbler and Crimson-breasted Shrike. Many seedeaters frequently come to drink at the waterhole including Violet-eared Waxbill, Red-headed Finch and Cut-throat Finch. Impressive numbers of Double-banded Sandgrouse regularly come to drink at the waterhole shortly after dusk. At night, Marsh Owl and Barn Owl hunt in the lights as do Rufous-cheeked Nightjar.
Far western Etosha : The area near Otjovasandu holds part of the Namibian escarpment and is not open to the general public but can be accessed through registered tour operators. The area holds several specials, some of which cannot be seen elsewhere within the park but are easily seen at Hobatere including Hartlaub's Spurfowl, Monteiro's Hornbill, Rüppell's Parrot, White-tailed Shrike, Rockrunner, Violet Wood-Hoopoe and Bare-cheeked Babbler.
EXTERNAL LINKS
http://www.etoshanationalpark.co.za
http://www.petercraig-cooper.co.za
