Kwando River

Kwando River

The Kwando River is in south-central Africa, flowing through Angola and Namibia's Caprivi Strip, before flowing into the Linyanti Swamp on the northern border with Botswana. The Kwando rises on the slopes of Mount Tembo in the central highlands of Angola, from where it flows southeast along the Zambian border. Like all rivers in south-central Africa, its flow varies greatly between the rainy season, when it floods and can be several kilometers wide, and the dry season, when it disappears into the marsh. The river has a total length of 731 km and a drainage area of 96 778 km2. The Kwando system is renowned for its wildlife, and much of the length of the land on both sides is protected as game reserves or wildlife management areas. The Kwando River in Botswana borders the Chobe National Park, which is Botswana's first national park and the most biologically diverse. It is the third largest park in the country. This park is notable for its lion population that preys on elephants, mainly calves or juveniles, but also on younger than adult individuals. There are also African Leopard, African Wild Dog, Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Hippo and African Bush Elephant. The rare Red Lechwe, Sitatunga and a flock of Nile Crocodiles also inhabit the area. Birdlife is extremely rich in the river area.