Khutse Game Reserve, Protected area in southern Botswana.
Khutse Game Reserve is a protected area in the Kgatleng District of southern Botswana, bordering the Central Kalahari Game Reserve to the north and covering grasslands, dry riverbeds, fossil dunes, and scattered water pans. These pans vary in size and fill with water during the rainy season, drawing animals from across the surrounding terrain.
The reserve was established in 1971, making it the second protected area on tribal land in Botswana after Moremi Game Reserve. Its creation came during a period when the country was beginning to formally set aside land for wildlife.
The San and Bakgalagadi communities live in small settlements near the edges of the reserve and have deep ties to this land going back many generations. Some of their craft traditions, such as weaving and the use of wild plants, can still be seen today.
A four-wheel-drive vehicle is essential for getting around, as all tracks are unpaved and can become very difficult to pass after rain. Visitors should bring enough water, food, and camping gear for their entire stay, since there are almost no facilities inside the reserve.
The water pans scattered across the reserve are the remains of an old river system that once flowed into Lake Makgadikgadi before the climate shifted. During the rainy season, these low-lying basins fill up and turn the dry land into active watering points for a wide range of animals.
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