Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Coordinates: 25°46′S 20°23′E / 25.767°S 20.383°E / -25.767; 20.383
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Kalahari Gemsbok National Park
Gemsbok National Park
LocationKgalagadi District, Botswana / Northern Cape, South Africa
Nearest cityUpington
Coordinates25°46′S 20°23′E / 25.767°S 20.383°E / -25.767; 20.383
Area38,000 km2 (15,000 sq mi)
Established31 July 1931 (Kalahari Gemsbok National Park)
12 May 2000 (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)
Governing bodyDepartment of Wildlife and National Parks (Botswana) / South African National Parks
www.sanparks.org/parks/kgalagadi/
Map

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a large wildlife preserve and conservation area in southern Africa.

The park straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and comprises two adjoining national parks:

The park's total area is 38,000 square kilometres (15,000 sq mi). Approximately three-quarters of the park lies in Botswana and one-quarter in South Africa. Kgalagadi means "place of thirst."[1] In December 2015, media reports claimed that rights for gas-fracking in more than half of the Botswana portion of the park had been sold.[2] The Botswana government later refuted these reports.[3]

Location and terrain

The park is located largely within the southern Kalahari Desert. The terrain consists of red dunes, sparse vegetation, occasional trees, and the dry riverbeds of the Nossob and Auob Rivers. The rivers are said to flow only about once per century. However, water flows underground, providing life for grass and Vachellia erioloba trees growing in river beds. The rivers may flow briefly after large thunderstorms.[4]

Wildlife

With over 470 documented species, the park has abundant wildlife, including

waterfowl, storks and passerines and around 30 raptors.[5]
There are over 30
venomous snakes such as the Cape cobra, horned adder, puff adder and black mamba; Cape terrapins, leopard tortoise and serrated tortoise, various agama, gecko, and skink species; amphibians include sand frog and African bullfrog.[5]

Since 2005, the protected area has been considered a Lion Conservation Unit and a lion stronghold in Southern Africa.[6]

Weather

The weather in the Kalahari can reach extremes. January is midsummer in southern Africa, and the daytime temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F). Winter nights can be quite cold, with temperatures below freezing. Extreme temperatures of −11 °C (12 °F) and up to 45 °C (113 °F) have been recorded. Precipitation is sparse in this desert area.[7]

Climate data for Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (Twee Rivieren)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 42.0
(107.6) 		41.2
(106.2) 		40.5
(104.9) 		37.2
(99.0) 		33.5
(92.3) 		29.3
(84.7) 		30.2
(86.4) 		33.6
(92.5) 		38.5
(101.3) 		40.5
(104.9) 		41.7
(107.1) 		45.4
(113.7) 		45.4
(113.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 35.8
(96.4) 		34.5
(94.1) 		32.5
(90.5) 		28.7
(83.7) 		24.6
(76.3) 		21.6
(70.9) 		22.0
(71.6) 		23.9
(75.0) 		28.6
(83.5) 		31.0
(87.8) 		33.6
(92.5) 		35.6
(96.1) 		29.4
(84.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 27.7
(81.9) 		26.7
(80.1) 		24.6
(76.3) 		20.2
(68.4) 		15.1
(59.2) 		11.8
(53.2) 		11.4
(52.5) 		13.3
(55.9) 		18.0
(64.4) 		21.4
(70.5) 		24.4
(75.9) 		26.7
(80.1) 		20.1
(68.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 19.6
(67.3) 		19.1
(66.4) 		16.8
(62.2) 		11.7
(53.1) 		5.5
(41.9) 		2.1
(35.8) 		0.9
(33.6) 		2.7
(36.9) 		7.5
(45.5) 		11.8
(53.2) 		15.3
(59.5) 		17.8
(64.0) 		10.9
(51.6)
Record low °C (°F) 7.6
(45.7) 		5.7
(42.3) 		3.9
(39.0) 		−2.0
(28.4) 		−7.3
(18.9) 		−9.7
(14.5) 		−10.3
(13.5) 		−9.7
(14.5) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		−0.2
(31.6) 		3.2
(37.8) 		3.0
(37.4) 		−10.3
(13.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 43
(1.7) 		45
(1.8) 		33
(1.3) 		31
(1.2) 		12
(0.5) 		3
(0.1) 		1
(0.0) 		2
(0.1) 		2
(0.1) 		12
(0.5) 		18
(0.7) 		20
(0.8) 		222
(8.7)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 5 5 5 4 3 2 1 1 1 2 3 4 38
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		38 47 55 59 61 62 57 51 39 36 35 34 48
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst[8]
Twee Rivieren Camp

Facilities

The park has three traditional tourist lodges called "rest camps". These are fully serviced lodges and include amenities such as air conditioning, shops, and swimming pools. There are also six wilderness camps in the park. The wilderness camps provide little more than shelter and wash water; visitors must supply their food, drinking water, and firewood.[9]

Visitors

From 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018, the park received 52,463 visitors, up from 48,221 in the previous year.[10]

History

The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in

peace park, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.[11]

Cultural preservation and establishment of !Xaus Lodge

In October 2002, the governments set aside 580 km2 (224 mi2) for the use of the native peoples, the

Khomani San and Mier communities. This was divided between 277.69 km2 of San Heritage Land and 301.34 km2 of Mier Heritage Land. The South African National Parks (SANParks) manages the land under contract. This land was named the !Ae!Hai Heritage Park.[12] The settlement agreement also provided for the communities to receive funds for the specific purpose of constructing a tourism facility.[13] The lodge was named !Xaus Lodge (meaning 'heart' in the local language) and is managed commercially on behalf of the ‡Khomani San and Mier communities by Transfrontier Parks Destinations.[14]

!Xaus Lodge's existence allows the cultural practices of the ‡Khomani San to continue in a few ways. The cultural village near the Lodge allows the local people to create and sell their crafts.

International Dark Sky Association.[16]

Fracking

In December 2015, it was reported in the media that the government of Botswana quietly sold the rights to frack for shale gas in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Reports said it granted prospecting licences for 29,291 square kilometres (2,929,100 ha), 34,435 square kilometres (3,443,500 ha) and 23,980 square kilometres (2,398,000 ha) – more than half of the Botswanan part of the park – to a United Kingdom-listed company called "Nodding Donkey". The sale was not reported at the time. In November 2015, the company changed its name to "Karoo Energy".[17] In February 2016, Botswana's Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism refuted these reports saying, "There are also no licenses for fracking in the KTP" and "no intention to issue any approvals for fracking in the KTP or any other national park or national game reserve anywhere in Botswana".[3]

Gallery

  • Red dunes in the Kgalagadi-Kalahari
    Red dunes in the Kgalagadi-Kalahari
  • The gemsbok or oryx, for which the original parks were named, standing in a dry riverbed
    The gemsbok or oryx, for which the original parks were named, standing in a dry riverbed
  • Social bird nests
    Social bird nests
  • Urikaruus Camp
    Urikaruus Camp
  • A Southern African cheetah with a carcass
    A
    Southern African cheetah
    with a carcass
  • A male lion at a waterhole
    A male lion at a waterhole
  • Meerkats are abundant
    Meerkats are abundant
  • Herd of springboks
    Herd of springboks

See also

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

References

  1. ^ "Natural & Cultural History". South African National Parks. SANParks. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  2. ^ Barbee, Jeffrey. "Botswana sells fracking rights in national park". The Guardian. The Guardian. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b African News Agency: Botswana dismisses reports of fracking rights in pristine Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Mining Weekly
  4. ^ "Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | nature conservation area, Africa". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  5. ^ a b c d "Observations - iNaturalist (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)". iNaturalist.org. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  6. ^ IUCN Cat Specialist Group (2006). Conservation Strategy for the Lion Panthera leo in Eastern and Southern Africa. IUCN, Pretoria, South Africa.
  7. ^ "Adventures in Wildlife Photography" (PDF). Anima Mundi (39). 10 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Klimatafel von Twee Rivieren, Kalahari-Nat.Park / Südafrika" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  9. ^ "Wilderness camps". South African National Parks. SANParks. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  10. ^ "South African National Parks - Annual Report 2017/2018" (PDF).
  11. ^ "About Kgalagadi". Peace Parks Foundation. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  12. ^ "Cultural Village". Xaus Lodge. Transfrontier Parks Destinations. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  13. ^ "AeHai Heritage park agreement". Xaus Lodge. Transfrontier Parks Destinations. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  14. ^ "Cultural Village". www.xauslodge.co.za. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  15. ^ "Cultural Village". Xaus Lodge. Transfrontier Parks Destinations. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  16. ^ "Aehai Kalahari Heritage Park South Africa". International Dark Sky Association. IDA. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  17. ^ Jeff Barbee: Botswana sells fracking rights in national park Guardian, 2 December 2015.
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