Chobe National Park is famous for its elephants

The Chobe National Park in Botswana is famous because of its huge numbers of elephants. During the dry season there can be as many as up to 80.000 in the park! We did see lots of different animals, but more elephants than any other. The most known part of the park, is probably Chobe Riverfront in the north-eastern corner of the country. This part is easily accessible from Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The border town Kasane is only an hours drive from Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and a little longer from Livingstone (Zambia). Chobe River divides Namibia from Botswana. We was staying in Victoria Falls and made this visit as a daytrip. We spend the whole day along the Chobe Riverfront, but divided the day between a game drive in the morning and a boat tour in the afternoon.

Before going to Botswana and the Chobe National Park, I knew that the country has a high number of elephants. I was there in April this year and just before going, we heard on the news that the president in Botswana threatened to send 20.000 elephants to Germany. The background for wanting to do this, is that the German Government wanted to forbid hunting trophies. Activist within some organizations working for animal protection was also against hunting elephants.

Botswana’s president said that they would like to give a gift of elephants to Germany, so that Germany can try and live with these animals in the way that they believe that the Botswanan people must do. Botswana have been giving elephants away before. The president didn’t joke. He claimed he had sent several thousand of elephants to neighbouring countries. I think I have read somewhere, that he had threatened to send 10.000 to England as well. Again, the same reason was the Parliament's aim for passing law against bringing these hunting trophies to the country.

On the river we were in a small boat. We saw mostly lonely elephants on the islands eating. I must admit that the river safari was the best part of the day.

The president Mokgweetsi Masisi said that Botswana is completely depended on shooting and exporting elephants in order to keep control of the population. They eat the crop of the farmers and trample down both buildings and crops. When we mentioned this to our guide and driver, he did agree on the damages a large herds of elephants can do, when they cross farmland. What happened to the 20.000 elephants? Haven't heard anything more about the theme.