Why is Makuleke wetlands important?

Why is Makuleke wetlands important?

There are 31 flooded pans scattered along the floodplains of the Limpopo River within Makuleke. These wetlands play a vital role in purifying water, regulating water flow and acting as a sponge releasing water slowly and easing the impact of droughts and floods in the process.

What animals live in Makuleke Wetlands?

While game is plentiful, one is most likely to encounter nyala, buffalo and bushbuck in the riverine areas and drier adapted game, including white rhino, in the uplands. The area is famous for its elephant herds in winter, which come to drink from the Luvuvhu River.

Where is the Makuleke wetland found?

The wetland is bordered by Zimbabwe to the north and Mozambique to the east. The site is mostly located within the borders of the Kruger National Park, with only a small section of the Limpopo floodplain located in the Makuleke’s portion of the Makuleke Property Area outside the Park’s western border (Banyini Pan).

What does Pafuri mean?

Situated in the extreme of both South Africa as well as the Kruger National Park lies an area called Pafuri, named after the Venda chief Maphaphuli. This area belongs to the Makuleke tribe and represents the first successful land claim to be accepted after South Africa became a democracy in 1994.

How the wetlands water quality is threatened by pollution?

Destruction of Wetlands Destroys the habitat of many birds and fish; Removes the natural filters capable of storing and degrading many pollutants, such as phosphorus and heavy metals; Destroys natural dams and causes flooding further downstream.

Can you drink water from wetlands?

Would you drink from a wetland? Probably not, when you think of the smelly, brown, stagnant water generally associated with swamps. But appearances can be deceiving. Wetlands do indeed help maintain both the quantity and quality of our water supplies.

What can destroy a wetland?

careless recreation practices, including misuse of jet-skiing, hunting, kayaking, power boating and whitebaiting, disturbs plant and animal life and may destroy parts of the physical wetland environment. forest harvesting close to wetlands may damage wetland vegetation and cause erosion.

Where are the Makuleke Wetlands in South Africa?

Makuleke Wetlands. 22/05/07; Limpopo; 7,757 hectares; 22°23’S 031°11’E. National Park. An excellent example of a floodplain vlei type, most of which lies within the Kruger National Park, bordered by Zimbabwe and Mozambique to the north and east.

When did the Makuleke Wetlands become a Ramsar site?

The proclamation of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) in 2002 through an international treaty between South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe aims at jointly managing the bordering National Parks and conservation areas, and the Ramsar site will benefit from that protection status. Ramsar site no. 1687. Most recent RIS information: 2007.

When was the Makuleke returned to the community?

However, in 1998, the land was returned to the Makuleke community, who chose to leave it with the Kruger Park system and use it to generate development funds and jobs. Their 22000 hectares is home to 80% of the biodiversity and one of the few community-owned Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance.

How old are the rocks in the Makuleke region?

The Makuleke region carries a remarkable geological and natural heritage that makes this region of interest to geographers and historians. Some rocks in the area have been dated to over 250 million years old.