Okavango Photo Gallery — Page 5

Water Crossings

The home range of the White Island baboons (W Troop) lay almost entirely on White Island (aerial photos, here). As a result, water crossings were rarely necessary, although the troop did forage in shallow floodplains at certain times of the year.

In contrast, the Camp Troop baboons (C Troop) ranged across several smaller islands, often requiring them to cross floodplains up to three feet deep during the flood season (typically April–September). Water temperatures at this time of year can average around 18–22°C (64–72°F).

All of the photos on this page show C Troop baboons crossing a 60-yard-wide floodplain at the northwest corner of Camp Island. Before entering the water, they typically sat and watched for up to an hour — likely scanning for nearby crocodiles or lions on the opposite side lying in ambush.

Mother and infant chacma baboons crossing deep water in the Okavango Delta.

For several of these photos I sat chest deep in the water. The baboons, even the mothers carrying infants, showed no apparent concern at my presence during this potentially hazardous crossing.

Three chacma baboons crossing deep water in the Okavango Delta.

A majority of my photos, like the one above, were taken with Kodachrome film, which produced richer colors. Compare with the photo to the left, taken with Ektachrome film.

Mother and dorsal infant chacma baboons crossing deep water in the Okavango Delta.

Young chacma baboon leaps over water channel in the Okavango Delta.

Adolescent male chacma baboon wades through deep water in the Okavango Delta.

A group of chacma baboons crossing deep water in the Okavango Delta.

Two chacma baboons wade through floodplain in the Okavango Delta.

Female and adolescent male chacma baboons wade through floodplain in the Okavango Delta.

Adult male chacma baboon leaps over water channel water in the Okavango Delta.

Adult female and male chacma baboons jump through a water channel in the Okavango Delta.

Mother and dorsal infant chacma baboons crossing a deep floodplain in the Okavango Delta.

Mother with ventral infant chacma baboons wade through floodplain in the Okavango Delta.

Adolescent male chacma baboon leaps over water channel water in the Okavango Delta.

Adult male chacma baboon wades through a deep floodplain in the Okavango Delta.

Juvenile chacma baboons gingerly wades through floodplain in the Okavango Delta.

Adult male chacma baboon navigates a floodplain in the Okavango Delta.

Chacma baboon troop follows tire tracks through a deep floodplain.

Camp Troop crosses toward the Airstrip Island during a period of heavy flooding.