Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park

Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park
Chamois in the national park
location	South Africa Botswana
surface	38,000 km²
WDPA ID	874
Geographical location	25 ° 46 ′  S , 20 ° 23 ′  E Coordinates: 25 ° 46 ′ 0 ″  S , 20 ° 23 ′ 0 ″  E
Setup date	2000
administration	South African National Parks (South Africa) Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Botswana)

Location of the park

Panoramic view from Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp into the park

Lion in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park only 80 meters from the border fence to Namibia (2018)

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park ( English Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park ) is a cross-border nature reserve in the Kalahari Desert with an area of ​​around 38,000 square kilometers that was created by merging the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park / South Africa and the Gemsbok National Park / Botswana . It is known for its lions, as, unlike those in the Kruger National Park , they are spared from tuberculosis and therefore occur in a relatively high density.

In September 2014, the Botswana government licenses for the selling fracking of shale gas from more than half the area of the national park.

Visitor traffic

The Nossob river, which runs across the park, can be crossed in both directions by visitors without any formalities. In principle, however, the park may only be left in the country from which you entered the park. However , Camp Twee Rivieren / Two Rivers , located on the Botswana-South African state border , has both a South African and a Botswana border control post, so that an exit is possible via all gates, regardless of where you have entered. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park borders Namibia in the west , the Mata-Mata border crossing has been reopened since October 2007. Within its area, at the point called Union's End , lies the triangle of Namibia, South Africa and Botswana. There is no border crossing here.

Since it is a park that extends across borders, it is counted among the Peace Parks .

landscape

The landscape of the park essentially consists of extensive dune fields overgrown with dune grasses . They are interrupted by the valleys of the mostly dry rivers ( Riviere ) Aoub and Nossob, which run in a south-easterly direction .

Flora Fauna

The following animal and plant species are the most common or noticeable:

fauna

• Oryx antelopes ("chamois buck")
• Springboks
• Wildebeest
• Elenantilopen ( "Eland"; taurotragus )
• Giraffes
• Lions
• African wild cats
• Jumping hares
• Whistling rats ( Parotomys brantsii )
• Settled weavers (Sociable Weaver - Philetairus socius ) and their mostly very large community nests
• Cape cobras

flora

• Camel thorn ( Acacia erioloba )
• Gray camel thorn ( Acacia haematoxylon )
• Shepherd Tree (shepherd's tree - Boscia albitrunca )
• Acanthosicyos naudinianus
• Tsamma melon

reachability

Traveling by car from Johannesburg and Cape Town takes about a day. Since the park closes its gates in the evening, this route can be too far for a day. However, there are good places to stay in the city of Upington , 260 kilometers to the south .

The Mata Mata border crossing to Namibia has been open since October 2007. However, a reservation of at least two nights in the national park must be presented if this crossing is to be used.

See also

• Nature reserves in Botswana
• List of national parks in South Africa
• Union's End

Web links

Commons : Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• South African National Parks: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park . National park administration website at www.sanparks.org (English)
• Peace Parks Foundation : Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park . on www.peaceparks.org (English)
• Map of the park

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Jeff Barbee: Botswana sells fracking rights in national park Guardian, December 2, 2015.
2. ^ South African National Parks: Revamped Mata-Mata Rest Camp in KTP officially opened . Press release of April 30, 2010 on www.sanparks.org (English)