10 Mar 2019

South West of Botswana  anmong the soft Kgalagadi sand dunes, lanky creatures walk about with protruding backs.

Undoubtedly, these creatures are a legendary icon of beauty in the Kgalagadi Desert. 

A tourist’s journey cannot be complete without having seen them. 

Tourists feast their eyes on the camel’s ever calm, and humble nature as they move about in single files peacefully. 

These creatures are said to have found their way into the semi-arid sandy savanna of the Kgalagadi Desert in the 18^th century. 

They were mainly used for transportation during the colonial era to carry out border patrols to secure Bechuanaland British Protectorate territorial integrity in the boarders of Namibia and South Africa by the then Bechuanaland Border Police.

Fredrick Cooper, a worker at Camel Park, an eco-tourism outfit located about 10 kilometres away from Tsabong, which boasts of approximately 454 camels currently, has been dealing with camels almost all his life. 

He says the camels were given to them by the Botswana Police Service. 

“We started off with just 40 camels, which were donated to us by the Botswana Police Service in 2003 because life had changed, vehicles were now used as a mode of transport and they no longer needed camels for transport,” he says.  

At the time, the then Village Development Committee (VDC) which was led by the late Mr Muller Mothelesi requested for the camels from the Botswana Police Service to start the renowned Camel Park as camels no longer served boarder patrolling purpose. 

Acting on advice from the Botswana Tourism Board (BTO) and the local authorities, they formed TSAMAMA Trust, which constitutes of three villages Tsabong, Maubelo and Maleshe to start the project. 

Also at the forefront was Mr Chaoto Kganauwe, a former Tsabong VDC member who played a pivotal role in the formation of the project by volunteering to take care of the camels and to date still herds them at Camel Park as an employee. 

“Government had about 500 camels at the time though maintenance costs were high and they wanted to sell them. 

But we requested to be given the camels as they form a big part of the Kgalagadi culture and we wanted to preserve them for generations to come. 

Different villages such as Khuis, Kgainyane, Phuduhudu, Khawa, and our VDC were given some,” said Mr Kganauwe. 

At the time the VDC did not have a place to keep the camels and requested Berry Bush farm owner, Mr Gill Thomasto keep them in his ranch, where they could have access to water and sufficient grazing while the VDC looked for land where they could keep them. 

Mr Kganauwe said after relentless pursuit, in 2005 Kgalagadi Land Board allocated them a 3 200-hectare land, which they fenced with the help of youth volunteers from the three villages.

“We were offered the plot in 2005 and in 2006 we de-stumped the perimeter fence, which was done by youth volunteers from Tsabong, Maubelo le Maleshe.”  

He said in the same year the land was fenced with the help of government and continued to serve tourists who enjoyed camel safari rides, quad bikes and the beautiful, natural and pristine desert landscape. 

Further, Mr Kganauwe said in 2008 the Park had an addition of three camels that were transported from Lybia donated by the late Libyan President, Muammar Gaddafi in early 2008 as a farewell present to former President Dr Festus Mogae.  

Owing to the successful partnership between BTO and the community, in 2010 they began to construct six chalets, which has since brought more developments augmented the Camel Park finances. 

Park Manager Mr Mooketsi Phalalo said BTO had an upper hand in the running of the park, which now boasts of an array of wildlife such as antelopes, zebras and small wildlife to balance its ecosystem.  

He aspires to grow the park and sell camel milk. 

“The milk is in high demand due to its health benefits. 

In future we would like to package, brand and sell it in supermarkets and make other dairy products out of it,” he said. 

Further ,they aspire to increase  accommodation and build a swimming pool to ensure clients are spoilt for choice. ENDS