Nata Bird Sanctuary
| Nata Bird Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
 Pelicans in the Nala Bird Sanctuary | |
  | |
| Location |  Botswana |
| Nearest city | Nata |
| Coordinates | 20°13′33″S 026°15′54″W / 20.22583°S 26.26500°W |
| Area | 230 |
| Established | 1993 |
The Nata Bird Sanctuary, the only protected reserve in Botswana in the northeastern periphery of Sowa Pan, is a community managed project with assistance from Nata Conservation Committee and national and international organizations. It was planned to be set up in 1988 and came into effect after about four years, in 1993, encompassing an area of 230 square kilometres (89 sq mi) with the objective of conservation of wildlife. The community project is managed by a Trust titled the "Kalahari Conservation Society", which has members drawn from the four village communities of Nata, Sepako, Maposa and Maxotac in the vicinity of the sanctuary.[1][2][3][4]
The prominent wildlife species in the sanctuary are reported to be 165 bird species[4] including about 250,000 lesser flamingo (Phoenicopterus minor) and greater flamingoes (Phoenicopterus roseus) which visit the sanctuary every year during the winter period to breed, after the rainy season, when the water sources are full.[5]
The community initiated sanctuary received the coveted "Tourism for Tomarrow Award" for the Southern Hemisphere in the very first year it was established, in 1993.[3]
Geography
The Nata sanctuary is situated at the mouth of the Nata River delta, about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the Nata village at the northeastern border of the Sua Pan (salt pan) within the larger Makgadikgadi.[1] Makgadikgadi Pans Landscape, located in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve to the southeast of the Okavango Delta is the most important natural habitats. It covers wild life conservation parks such as the Makgadikgadi National Park and the Nxai Pan National Park, apart from the Nata Bird Sanctuary which is "one of the largest breeding sites of Lesser and Greater flamingo in the world."[6]
This region was inhabited by the Nata, Sepako, Maposa and Maxotac community who grazed their 3500 and odd cattle heads in the area. These villagers were persuaded to move their cattle so that a securely fenced sanctuary could be established covering an area of 230 square kilometres (89 sq mi); 45% of the sanctuary lies in the Sua Pan.[2][5]
A raised wooden platform within the sanctuary provides vistas not only of the Sua salt pan but also the rich bird life of the sanctuary.[2] The roads within the sanctuary are now well maintained. However, some areas of the park where black cotton soils are found can pose problems for road transport during the rainy season.[1]
History
The plan to establish a bird sanctuary in the delta of the Nata River was mooted by the Nata Conservation Committee, in 1988 to conserve and preserve the wild life, particularly the bird species which dominated the Sua Pan at the mouth of Nata River; an ephemeral stream, bordering the Sua Pan. The Kalahari Conservation Society, with funds contributed by national and international organisations, is credited with ensuring voluntary participation of the local people. The local people not only relocated their cattle head of about 3,500 heads in adjacent land but also built a network of dirt roads.[1][4]
Nata Bird Sanctuary is now one of the three breeding grounds of flamingoes in Africa and is also the largest.[7] It is also mentioned as one of the “largest breeding sites of lesser and greater flamingo in the world”.[6]
Fauna
Among the wild life species noted in the sanctuary are the 165 bird species. Other species of wild life are also reported, though of limited numbers.[1]
Avi fauna
The bird sanctuary has about 165 species of birds of which the lesser and greater flamingoes, White-backed pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) and pink-backed pelicans (Pelecanus rufescens) are the most dominant species, seen in very large numbers every year during the winter season.[1] Some of the other notable bird species recorded are: avocet, blackwinged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), blacksmith plower (Vanellus armatus), black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), bustards, carmine, darters, Fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), geese, korhaans, pied kingfishers (Ceryle rudis), black-breasted eagles (Circaetus pectoralis), blue-cheeked bee-eaters (Merops persicus), cape teals (Anas capensis), kori bustards (Ardeotis kori), hottentot teals (Anas hottentota), martial eagles (Polemaetus bellicosus), red-knobbed coot, (Fulica cristata), secretary bustards (Sagittarius serpentarius), spoonbills, and white-faced duck (Dendrocygna viduata).[4][3][5]
The birds migrate from Etosha, in the border state of Namibia. Greater flamingoes feed on brine shrimps (Artemia), worms and tiny crustaceans while the lesser flmingoes feed on algae, which are all found in plenty in the warm shallow waters of salt pans.[6][8]
Other fauna
Other wild life faunal species reported are: The antelope, hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus), kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis), reedbuck (Redunca arundinum), springbok, steenbok (Raphicerus campestris), Springhares (Pedetes capensis), jackals, foxes, monkeys, squirrels, eland (Taurotragus oryx) , gemsbok (Oryx gazella) and zebra.[1][4][3][5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Officialwebsite of Botswana Tourism Organization". 2006.
- ^ a b c "Nata Bird Sanctuary". Bushways.com. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d Chris McIntyre (2010). Botswana: Okavango Delta, Chobe, Northern Kalahari. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 387–. ISBN 9781841623085. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "Lonely Planet review for Nata Bird Sanctuary". Lonelyplanet.com. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d Willie Olivier; Sandra Olivier (August1998). Overland Through Southern Africa. Struik. pp. 90–. ISBN 9781868721054. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c "World Heritage Convention:Makgadikgadi Pans Landscape". Unesco.org. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
- ^ "Conservation through Utilization" (pdf). Retrieved 13 April 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|pubisher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help) - ^ "Sowa Pan". Official website of Botswana Tourism. 2006. Retrieved 14 April 2011.