Bwabwata National Park, National park in Divundu, Namibia.
Bwabwata is a national park in northeastern Namibia, extending as a narrow band of land between the Okavango River and the Kwando River. The terrain connects two major river systems and forms a green corridor across the Caprivi Strip landscape.
The area was proclaimed Caprivi Nature Park in 1963, became a game reserve in 1966 and a game park in 1968. The South African Defence Force occupied it during Namibia's liberation war and left shortly before independence in 1990. In 2007 the Caprivi Game Park, Mahango Game Reserve (proclaimed 1989) and an unproclaimed area along the Cuando River were merged to form Bwabwata National Park.
About 5,500 people live inside Bwabwata, and the Namibian government involves residents and neighbours in planning and managing the park. Three community-operated campsites — Nǁgoabaca, Nambwa and Bum Hill — bring revenue to local communal area conservancies. The park is zoned into core conservation areas and farming areas.
Visitors need permits to drive through the park and must follow marked routes at all times. Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended for navigating sandy and potentially difficult terrain.
The park serves as a critical migration route for African elephants traveling between Botswana and Angola through this region. This passage is essential for elephant populations moving across international boundaries.
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