There is a lush and vibrant waterhole in the Kwaggasvlakte section of Marakele National Park. The area is characterized by sweet-veld, acacia thornveld and combretum woodland. The rich habitat diversity within a small area attracts plentiful wildlife. It’s hard to believe that there is no natural, permanent water supply to the area.
This is where the Marakele Honorary Rangers (under the guidance of the park staff), come into this picture. They decided to solve the area’s water supply problems by rerouting a natural spring, via underground pipes, to a seasonal rain water depression in Kwaggasvlakte.
It took a digging team organised by the Honorary Rangers several days and much toil to dig the trench for the pipes that would channel the water to the identified pan. Their perseverance has paid off, and the redirected spring now supplies the waterhole.
After the diversion of the spring, there were concerns that the newly established pan was somewhat sterile and devoid of wetland life. So the Honorary Rangers, again under the guidance of park staff, waded in and planted indigenous stabilizing plants such as sedge and rush to vitalize the new waterhole into a thriving wetland.
The next phase of the project involved the introduction of fish and frogs that would naturally occur in this type of pan, in this area. Marakele’s Social Ecologist and Trail ranger Charles Trennery was involved in this endeavour to ensure the integrity of the the areas biodiversity. Captive bred tilapia were release into the pan, along with some foam nest frogs.
One year after the pan was first filled, the visual difference is remarkable. From a sterile, temporary rain water pan, the park now has waterhole that is attracting more and more species. Go to the gallery to view more pictures of the work, and see what the pan looks like now.