Mudumu National Park

Proclaimed in 1990, Mudumu National Park is one of Namibia’s least-known parks. At its western edge is the riverine habitat of the Kwando River which supports a range of water-loving wildlife: elephants, hippos, spotted-necked otters, crocodiles, bushbuck and the rare red lechwe and sitatunga. After rain in the Angolan highlands, the Kwando River can rise by two metres or more, flooding the plains of Mudumu. This stimulates new grass, nourishes the reeds and marshes and sustains the wetland habitats.

Away from the river, there is dense mopane woodland which shelters a range of woodland species such as roan, sable and kudu. A band of ancient oxbox structures extend across the park in a central east-west band.

A range of predators are also found here such as lions, leopards and hyaenas as well as wild dogs which are now breeding in the park.

The park is unfenced and surrounded by conservancies; it thus serves as a core wildlife area from which animals can move into the neighbouring conservancies. Over recent years effective co-operation between the park and its neighbours has been developed to meet the need to manage these common resources. The park, conservancies, community forests and traditional leaders work together on law enforcement, fire management, game monitoring and translocations.

Reintroductions in recent years have reestablished and supplemented populations of eland, giraffe, impala, and blue wildebeest.