Introduction
Transfrontier conservation area in Botswana and South Africa
Kgalagadi Transfrontier ParkKalahari Gemsbok National ParkGemsbok National ParkLocationKgalagadi District, Botswana / Northern Cape, South AfricaNearest cityUpingtonCoordinates25°46′S 20°23′E / 25.767°S 20.383°E / -25.767; 20.383Area38,000 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 ParksWebsitewww.sanparks.org/parks/kgalagadi/
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a large wildlife reserve and conservation area in southern Africa.
The park straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and comprises two adjoining national parks:
Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa
Gemsbok National Park in Botswana
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."
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. The Botswana government later refuted these reports.
Location and terrain
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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.
Wildlife
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With over 470 documented species, the park has abundant wildlife, including lion, cheetah, African leopard, spotted hyena and brown hyena. Smaller mammals include African wildcat, bat-eared fox and Cape fox, black-backed jackal, caracal, genets and honey badger, as well as meerkats and mongooses. Migratory herds of large ungulates, such as blue wildebeest, gemsbok, springbok, steenbok, southern giraffe, common eland, greater kudu, warthog, klipspringer and red hartebeest also live and move seasonally in the park, providing sustenance for the predators. More than 200 bird species inhabit the park, including ostriches, bustards, waterfowl, storks and passerines and around 30 raptors.
There are over 30 reptile and amphibian species of in the park, including 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.
Since 2005, the protected area has been considered a Lion Conservation Unit and a lion stronghold in Southern Africa.
