This
wildlife reserve was declared by the Batawana people in 1963, the first
wildlife sanctuary to be created by an African tribe in their own area,
and as such is unique. This act was described at the time as a shining
mark in African tribal history.
Teeming
with bird life and wildlife makes Moremi a prime wildlife area where
elephant, hippo, buffalo, lion, and most other game (including eland,
kudu, roan antelope, and if you're lucky even leopard) can be seen in
abundance. Bird life (both in the delta and dryland sections) is excellent
especially along the Khwai River. During the dry season a congregation of
all species, (bird and wildlife), along permanent rivers and water holes
makes Moremi Game Reserve one of the most unforgettable wildlife
experiences in Africa!
The
Moremi Game Reserve is administered today by the Department of Wildlife
and National Parks; it is a rich and fascinating area. The Moremi Game
Reserve forms an intricate part of the Okavango Delta, comprising
permanently swamped areas, seasonally swamped areas, and dryland.
Located
on the northeast side of the delta, it is probably the prime tourist
destination in Botswana, due to the fact that it encompasses several
different types of ecological zones. The total surface area of this
reserve is 4 871 square kilometers. This is almost one-third of the
Okavango Delta-a fact Botswana can be very proud of. The dryland areas of
Moremi consist mainly of Mopane veld (Colophospermum mopane). The giant
mopane trees form the canopy woodland and lend an atmosphere unique to
this area.
The
other main vegetation types are riverine woodland, floodplain grassland,
marginal woodland on the edges of the floodplains, Terminalia sericea
sandveld, Acacia erioloba sandveld, and Hyphaene petersiana island
communities.
