Trees and Shrubs of Mabuasehube, Botswana

Overview of the Kalahari Vegetation in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Nov 14, 2008

Mabuasehube Game Reserve in Botswana is in the Kalahari and forms part of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. It offers visitors a variety of trees and shrubs.

In arid, semi-desert terrain, most visitors only see the red dunes with sand. A closer look reveals a variety of trees and shrubs with the remarkable ability to sustain the wildlife in this harsh environment.

Trees of the Kalahari

The three most commonly found trees in the dune landscape of the Kalahari are the Camel Thorn Tree, the Grey Camel Thorn Tree and the Shepherd's Tree. Other trees are the Bastard Umbrella Thorn, Bastard Camel Thorn, Silver Terminalia and Arub Wormcure albizia trees.

An adult tree can reach an average height of 15 meters. The gray pods give the meat of animals feeding on it, a strange smell, while the flowers are bright yellow balls. Besides eating the fruit, animals rest under the shade of this tree. Camel Thorn trees protect their fruit and flowers with long, white, straight thorns.

Botswana people use the bark of the Camel Thorn Tree for the treatment of headaches and lung infections and the women use the red wood as a beauty treatment. The Camel Thorn Tree also serves as a host for Sociable Weavers that build their nests in the lower branches.

In dune vegetation, their growth pattern resembles shrubs, but in riverbeds, they can reach a height of up to 9 meters. Their silver leaves and grey pods provide food and shade to animals like Gemsbok and Springbok.

This evergreen tree with a round shape can reach a height of up to 7 meters. In dune vegetation, it resembles a multi-stemmed shrub. It has a wide distribution except next to riverbeds and pans. It is an important source of food for herbivores. Due to the umbrella form of the tree, the temperature of the sand under the tree can decrease with 50 degrees Celsius and animals and their young often seek protection from the sun under this tree.

Shrubs of the Kalahari

At least twenty different shrubs litter the dune landscape of the Kalahari, but the most predominant ones are the Blue Pea, Driedoring and Candle Thorn.

This blue shrub's nutritional value does not diminish as it ages. Insects consume even the dead plant material from this shrub. Livestock do not eat the Blue Pea and it remains untouched in the veldt where cattle feed. It is however, an important food for the black Parastizopus bug and plays a vital role in this insect's life cycle.

According to the Official Information Brochure SA National Parks, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, 2004, this flowery shrub carries flowers ranging from white to pink. During dry months, the Driedoring loses its leaves, thus diminishing the area from which evaporation of moisture can take place. Springbok show a preference for the flowers, pods and young twigs of this shrub. It fulfills an important ecological function in combatting over grazing and stabilizing the dune streets. It also forms a barrier where seeds heap up and germinate.

The Candle Thorn can be low growing with a diameter of up to 20m or form small trees of up to 8 meters high. The pods stand upright, resembling candlesticks. It is an important source of food for desert animals and they consume the leaves, pods and flowers. Thorns cover the branches of this shrub, thus offering protection to small animals and birds.

Every tree and shrub in this arid region fulfills an important role in sustaining the animals and eco - system of the region.

The copyright of the article Trees and Shrubs of Mabuasehube, Botswana in Wildlife Reserves is owned by Yolande Pienaar. Permission to republish Trees and Shrubs of Mabuasehube, Botswana in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.