01 Dec 2022

Research findings on Gchwihaba caves in the Ngamiland region will not only generate interest among tourists, but will put Botswana on the world map as a tourism destination.

A team of French researchers working in collaboration with Batswana researchers from the Department of Museum and Monuments is at Gchwihaba caves to continue with the hominid research work. The research is expected to be completed on December 9.

The team comprising of experts of different professions including French media personnel started its first mission last year and spent two weeks at the site surveying the area to find ancient fossils in Botswana.

The field work conducted focused on excavating and studying two areas; the Gchwihaba Hills and the Koanaka Hills and this time the researchers expanded their work by involving more people. 

Department of Museum and Monuments coordinator in North West region, Mr Vasco Baitsiseng said the team was expected to share findings with relevant authorities on completion of the mission. 

“Some people will learn more about the site and develop interests to visit and appreciate its beauty, while some will flock the area to do some comparison on the findings of the research,” he added.

Gchwihaba site forms part of the Kalahari landscape, the unique caves are the richest fossil deposit in the country and possibly the richest in Southern Africa.

Some reports have indicated that the site has diverse cave formations found within the six cave system of exceptional beauty comprising massive stalactites, stalagmites, dripstones and pillars as well as an array of spectacular micro-formation of helictites, straws and cave pearls untouched by man.

Reports also indicated that the caves found in the three hills of Koanaka, the Bone Cave and the Blue Cave have a type of breccia with high densities of fossils.

Mr Baitsiseng noted that Gchwihaba was one of the 10 sites in Botswana’s tentative World Heritage list, adding that the findings of the research would add value once the country listed the site.

He explained that to list a site was a huge and expensive exercise as the country needed information that could be used as reference to achieve the site outstanding universal value.

Meanwhile, Botswana has two listed World Heritage Sites being Tsodilo Hills and the prestigious Okavango Delta. Ends