Water for Wildlife
Hwange National Park is renowned for an astounding variety of wildlife and is famed as one of the best remaining sanctuaries to view large numbers of free roaming elephants. But Hwange is situated in an area that has minimal natural surface water available during the long dry winter (May – November). Without water animals won’t survive.
Solar Powered Boreholes
Friends of Hwange oversees boreholes that tap into bountiful underground water. The boreholes are equipped with solar powered pumps that supply water to surface pans.
During the dry season, as natural water dries up, animal pressure for water at the artificially pumped pans mounts until the weather heats up to extremes. The climax comes in October and November just before the onset of long-awaited rains, when searing temperatures and excessive demand for water reduce the artificial waterholes to muddy puddles. In years of bad drought, the desperate need for water often outstrips the supply, and shrill shrieks and trumpeting are evident throughout the night as elephants compete for a much-needed drink. The areas around the pans become dusty and devoid of vegetation. At these times of the year, constant vigilant upkeep of the boreholes is essential.
With the onset of the rains, when natural water supplies replenish, large numbers of elephants and huge herds of buffalo magically disperse to southern areas of the Park and to neighbouring territories in search of better-quality vegetation. They start appearing once again during April and May when natural water in those areas dwindles, but by then the pumped pans have filled and the trees, shrubs and grass have had time to recover. This cycle of migration is repeated annually.
Ensuring the water keeps flowing
Dam Scoop Smoothing Bank
Guvalala Trough Repair
Installing Battery at Guvalala
Installing Battery at Tshebe-Tshebe
Repairs at Mbiza
Inverters and Spare Parts
Batteries to Boost Water Supplies
Until recently, solar energy was effective during daylight hours only because sunlight is the source of the energy. The solar water pumps activated at about 8h00 in the morning, and in the dry season switched off towards evening at about 16h30. The disappointment and disgust in the animals’ body language when the “Bar Service” closed come evening was clearly evident.
Elephants love cool, fresh water, and will compete for a chance to slurp it up as soon as it comes out of the ground. Asides from needing large volumes to drink to aid their digestion, water is an obvious source of pleasure. They’ll cavort and bathe extensively if they can. At the height of the dry season, when temperatures are extreme, their huge bulk creates a problem with thermoregulation, and a cooling bathe helps them shed excess heat. Elephants don’t sweat as that would result in excessive loss of water. Instead, their skin is deeply pitted and finely channeled, and a dust bath after their swim ensures a dry mud pack that traps water to keep them cool. Additionally, their huge ears that are heavily laced with blood vessels act as large radiators shedding unwanted heat into the atmosphere.
Being forced to drink in the heat of the day, exposes elephants to the scorching sun with resultant overheating. It’s far better for them to spend that time resting in the shade. Drinking at night, when it’s cool is their preference as it saves their dwindling energy reserves at a time of year when the quality of the vegetation is poor.
Thankfully, the answer to this conundrum is at hand! Advancement in battery technology means we can use battery systems to pump water throughout night although this does come at a price.
We already have a solar array erected at each borehole to pump water by day, but additional solar energy is needed to charge batteries that will power the pumps at night. The existing panels and inverter must be upgraded, and the system protected from theft – a tricky task for a heavy battery system the size of a large suitcase The batteries are mounted onto the stand that holds the solar array and are secured high up in a steel cage.
Although these battery systems come at considerable cost, the ability to pump fresh water both day and night makes good sense.
