Okavango Delta Food Web
Wetland
Flooded Grasslands & Savannas
Northern Botswana, Southern Africa
Description
The Okavango Delta is an inland alluvial fan in the Kalahari Desert where the Okavango River spreads into a vast seasonal floodplain. Annual flooding from Angolan rains creates a mosaic of channels, lagoons, and islands that support dense concentrations of African megafauna. Papyrus swamps and floodplain grasses form the productive base of this desert oasis.
Trophic Pyramid
Level 5
Decomposers
Aquatic bacteria
Crayfish
Dung beetles
3 species
Level 4
Tertiary Consumers
Lion
Nile crocodile
Leopard
3 species
Level 3
Secondary Consumers
African wild dog
African fish eagle
Nile monitor
3 species
Level 2
Primary Consumers
Red lechwe
Hippopotamus
Sitatunga
3 species
Level 1
Producers
Papyrus
Floodplain grasses
Water lilies
3 species
Apex Predators
Tertiary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Primary Consumers
Producers
Key Interactions
- Hippopotamuses maintain open channels that direct water flow through the delta
- African wild dogs hunt red lechwe in shallow water using cooperative strategies
- Nile crocodiles ambush prey at river crossings during seasonal movements
- Flood timing controls grass productivity and herbivore distribution