Wildlife viewing in Botswana is an unparalleled experience in witnessing the majesty of our planet. With the Okavango Delta's location at the northern part of the Kalahari Desert, there are so many different habitats in a small area supporting a rich environment: from sandveld, savannah, and salt pans to marshes and mopane woodland. During our time in the country, we saw over a hundred different animal species, often from just a few feet away. We also got the full “circle of life” experience, seeing animals mating, admiring babies, and witnessing fresh (and not-so-fresh) kills. This is what we came for, and Botswana did not disappoint.
 |
Side note, this happened on
the last day of our trip... |
The goal of most safari-goers is to spot the Big Five, the five most difficult and dangerous animals traditionally hunted by foot in the 19th and early 20th centuries: lion, leopard, cape buffalo, elephant, and rhinoceros.
Unfortunately, the Okavango Delta no longer has wild rhinos; their population of white rhinos became extinct in 1900 but were reintroduced in 1967; poaching reduced their initially thriving numbers to just 19 individuals by the early 1990s. As a response, all remaining wild rhinos were relocated to a secure sanctuary, so you can't see them in the wild. But we did get to see the other four members of the Big Five, and it was a thrill.
 |
| We later saw these brothers in our camp |
Because Botswana hosts a healthy population of lions, we were lucky enough to see them on nearly all of our game drives. There were multigenerational families, solitary males, lionesses with young cubs, and a group of brothers.
The abundance and diversity of prey in the Okavango means these lions are bigger and stronger than the average puny African lion. There are prides that specialize in hunting larger animals like cape buffalo, while others prefer smaller game like impala or warthogs.
It's always exciting to see animal babies, so we spent some time watching a group of two adult females (a mother and daughter) with two young cubs, about three months old and still nursing.
 |
| Those cubs were adorable! Although that gash on mom's arm looked appalling... |
 |
| But it already looked better the next day! |
Lions are a remarkably resilient animal. One of the lionesses had an angry gash on her front leg, sustained during a hunt for warthog, her pride's speciality. She licked her wound clean using her rough, sandpapery tongue, helping her own healing with her saliva's antibacterial properties. And it must have worked, since we saw her hunting the following day.
Lions, the world's second largest cat, have a roar that can be heard over 5 miles away. We heard several near our campsite, which was slightly disconcerting!
 |
| GET OUTTA MY FACE! |
 |
| Someone needs a napkin... |
In my opinion, the most gorgeous of the Big Five animals is the leopard, with its golden fur covered in black rosettes. These elusive animals move with sleek and elegant grace, but with obvious power.
On one occasion, a solitary male leopard crossed the road right in front of us – pure luck or we would never have spotted him. He was skittish and wary of us, but our guide Master maneuvered us so that we could get a good view. He was amazingly camouflaged in the tall grass, and several times I lost sight when I took my eyes off him, only finding him again when he moved. We followed him down to a drinking hole, then up a small hill into the brush. We waited for him to come out – which he soon did, giving us an excellent look at his beautifully patterned coat.
 |
| Don't mess with the Boss. |
Cape buffalo are large and imposing beasts with wickedly curved horns and the unsettling habit of staring at you with an intense gaze. They are sometimes called the "Black Death" or "The Widowmaker" because of their aggression, and they actually have an exceptional memory and will hold a grudge for years!
Did you know? That horn structure that forms a helmet on the male buffalo's forehead is called the "boss." Both male and female buffalo have horns, as they are used not just for display but for defense (and offense!)
We saw many herds of cape buffalo grazing in and near the delta waters, usually with accompanying cattle egrets who like the insects stirred up by the buffalo's movements, or oxpeckers who feed on the parasites on the buffalo's skin.
Elephants are one of the most prolific animals in the Okavango, with the area home to one of the largest populations on the continent.
 |
| Elephants are surprisingly good swimmers |
Elephants don't just live here in the delta, they play an important role in shaping the environment, modifying the land by carving channels and tearing down trees to open up forests. They are also vital in seed distribution, since their digestion is notoriously inefficient (they poop out nearly 60% of the food they eat), and many other animals root through elephant dung for undigested food.
The nutrient-rich delta supports abundant vegetation, and elephants love the diverse grasses, shrubs, and trees that thrive throughout the year. Not only did we see them tearing up mopane trees and wading in lagoons looking for delicious waterlilies, but an angry matriarch trumpeted at us (and her baby mimicked her, giving us an adorable toot!)
African elephants can live up to 70 years, and a fully grown adult generally has no predators; older elephants generally die from tooth loss leading to starvation. When we saw a number of vultures in the trees, we didn't immediately associate it with a nearby carcass.
But there was a funky smell in the air... and then we turned a corner and saw a dead elephant, with a solitary male lion guarding his prize. According to our guide, it had died about two days earlier, most likely from old age.
In the trees above lurked dozens of vultures, waiting for their chance at dinner. For some reason the lion soon ran off, giving a black-backed jackal his turn and allowing the many white backed vultures and cape vultures their chance to swoop in. It was so interesting watching them try to chew through the tough skin and vying for prime position near open flesh. Later, a pack of spotted hyenas chased off the jackal and also had their feast.
 |
| Cape vulture |
 |
| Spotted hyenas are messy eaters... |
 |
| As if there wasn't enough to share...! |
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
While most people have the Big 5 as their ultimate checklist on safari, we decided to add the most ridiculous animals to our list. From David's wildlife book, we looked for the most elusive species... pangolins and aardvarks and cheetah. We'd added the sable antelope and sitatunga to our dream list as a joke - mainly because our book said they were rare and hard to find, and also because they had such cool looking horns.
I knew we probably wouldn't see our dream list, but I was more than excited that we were successful in spotting what is known as the Ugly Five - the not-quite-as photogenic but equally important animals of Africa: hyena, marabou stork, vulture, warthog, and wildebeest. They may have a less-than-appealing image, but I love them all the same!
 |
| Just look at those ears!! |
Hyenas, often thought of as purely scavengers, are actually adept hunters with a high success rate on their hunts. Their bite is legendary - with powerful jaws that produce a massive force, enough to crack open 2.5 inch bones and get to the marrow inside! They are also highly intelligent, socially complex, and extremely vocal - including that famed, distinct laugh of the 'laughing,' or spotted hyena.
 |
| 🎵 Isn't he looovelyyyy...Isn't he wonnnnderful? 🎶 |
Also called the 'nightmare' or 'undertaker' bird, the marabou stork is a hideously scabby 4-ft tall bird with a pock-marked bald head and flabby pink pouch dangling from its neck. They'll eat just about everything - they're scavengers, but they also hunt or steal for food - and they'll even eat garbage like metal parts and shoes.
Their top-heavy bodies stand on spindly legs - which are actually dark grey, but most often seen as white because of a buildup of excrement - marabou storks poop on themselves because the evaporative cooling helps with their thermoregulation. Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it.
 |
| White backed vulture, lurking |
I think human's innate dread of vultures comes from cartoons and comics. Their ominous presence is a sure sign of nearby death, since they feed primarily on carrion. But vultures help clean up the ecosystem by preventing the diseases that would spread with all the dead bodies piling up.
Their strong, sharp beaks are used to tear through tough animal hides. Most vultures have bald heads and necks, so that when they stick their heads inside a rotting carcass, they don't get guts stuck in their feathers. Why don't vultures get sick, if they're eating all that rotting flesh? They have digestive juices comparable to car battery acid, neutralizing pathogens like anthrax, botulism, and cholera.
 |
| That sassy side-eye...!! |
If there's one thing the Disney did right, it was to give warthogs a good name.
Warthogs don't actually have warts - they have fleshy tubercles around their face. Their two pairs of distinctive tusks are actually canine teeth - one larger upper canine growing up into a semicircle, and one lower that is smaller but sharper used for digging and defense. Plus the also have the most luscious sideburns. My favorite thing about warthogs is their habit of sticking their tails straight up in the air when they run, the tufts at the end waving like flags. What's not to love?
 |
| Did you know? A group of wildebeest is a "confusion"!! |
Wildebeest, aka gnu, are unique antelope with large heads, shaggy beards, and flowing manes. Like all wildebeest, those in the Okavango seasonally migrate, following the water from the Delta to the Makgadikgadi area. They're commonly found following zebra, and according to our guide Master, wildebeest aren't that smart and need the zebra to tell them where to go. In the clearing where we found a large herd, a group of wildebeest was randomly running in circles - according to Master, either for fun or maybe for practice, in case they are ever chased by predators. Oooo, fun!
For me, seeing the Ugly Five was just as fun and exciting as the Big Five. It highlights the diversity of wildlife, and the amazing adaptations that these organisms have developed in order to survive in this environment. And the sheer number of animals was mind-blowing!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 |
| Steenbok |
During our drive home after sunset each evening, we had an opportunity to look for crepuscular and nocturnal animals with the use of a spotlight which would glint in a creature’s eyes. Predator eyes would generally flash orange or red, while prey animals shine green. We caught glimpses of a civet, genet, scrub hare, steenbok, and porcupines, (but sadly no aardvark or pangolin). My favorite was the delightfully hoppy spring hare, a tiny rodent that looks like a miniaturized kangaroo with a bushy, black-tipped tail. There were dozens spring-sprionging around in the fields as we drove by.
 |
| Porcupine butt |
 |
| Spring hare |
Because the Okavango is so rich in wildlife, it became almost ordinary to see small herds of animals. Near the marshy ponds, there were waterbuck, hippos, and red lechwe; the savannah and woodland surprised us with impala, giraffe, kudu, cape buffalo, and elephants. As we drove through the scrubland we startled so many hornbills that eventually they became nothing special. And of course, when we ran across a dazzle (yes, dazzle!) of zebra, Anil was obligated to shout out "Zebra Crossing!!"
 |
| Kudu horns are my favorite! |
 |
| Waterbuck are known for their 'toilet seat' rings and heart-shaped noses! |
 |
| Those wicked teeth are used exclusively for fighting, since hippo are vegetarians |
 |
| Black-backed jackal |
 |
| When the referees can't quite agree on a call... |
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Traveling with people interested in biodiversity helped me appreciate the huge variety of birds that we’ve encountered. It’s always exciting to search for new (and particularly flamboyant) species, and David and I had fun pointing out fun sightings.
 |
| Lilac-breasted roller |
Since I spent time with a knowledgeable and avid birder in Tanzania last year, I was familiar with many of the birds that we saw here in the Okavango. It also made me more observant - on the ride from the airport, we spotted the flash of vibrant blue and saw several colorful lilac breasted rollers sitting on the telephone lines.
Some of the highlights included an African hoopoe sharing food to what must have been its young (since it otherwise would never have given away such a tasty bug!), mating ostriches, and the African marsh harrier that caught and ate a frog. We saw a pair of my favorite birds, the secretary bird, who flew into a recently burned (actually, in some spots still burning) clearing – it must have been easy to find food in the exposed ground, since we also spotted a small group of Southern ground hornbills as well as a couple black backed jackals in the area. And it was also a thrill to hear (and see!!) the deep full-body grunt of Africa's largest owl, the Verreaux's eagle-owl - easily recognized by it's bright pink eyelids.
 |
| What a handsome secretary bird! |
 |
| Verreaux's eagle-owl |
 |
| Southern ground hornbill |
 |
| Who better to teach us about the birds and the bees? |
 |
| African hoopoe don't normally share... unless with their own babies |
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
My time in Botswana was nothing short of magical. There is something humbling about standing in a place where you are reminded just how small you are in the grand scheme of things. I’m deeply grateful to Anil, David, and Sam for sharing this journey with me—their curiosity, enthusiasm, and joy made each moment even more meaningful.
Botswana left me in awe: the red-gold light of the sunset, the grunts and growls of hippos and lions at night, the quiet moments watching yellow-billed storks fishing for dinner. It’s a place that invites you to slow down, pay attention, and reconnect with nature. I'm already planning my return!
