Restauration of the boreholes in Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe)

In 2016 special emphasis was given to the restoration of the existing boreholes in the park which were found to be producing a much reduced output of water or had stopped working altogether. At the end of the day all boreholes ended up undergoing a major overhaul. Around that time the Bär & Füldner family joined forces with the Hennigs and contributed a substantial amount of money towards the funding of this important task. In hindsight, the location of ‘Ray’s Pan’ has turned out to be an excellent choice, mainly due to the type of soil found here that mixes well with water and yields a rich layer of mud which is much loved by the grey giants. Every single day, hundreds of elephants visit the waterhole to either quench their thirst or cool off by taking a mud bath with the result that the waterhole has kept increasing in size over the years. The Hennigs estimate that by September 2018 the volume of water the basin could hold had gone up fifteen-fold compared to when the well was built.

For the engineers looking after the well the situation presents its own challenges. Already two years ago they had to drill for water again, in addition to installing more solar units in order to ensure sufficient water flow.

During a visit in January 2017, which is a time well into the rainy season, there was still a lot of water in the basin. Another visit by the Hennigs and the Bär-Füldner family in September-October 2018, however, revealed that clean water was only to be found around the outlet area whereas the rest of the waterhole either consisted entirely of mud or had been partly dried up. Nonetheless, the waterhole continues to be a favorite stomping ground for the elephants in the area who, by their activities, keep enlarging and widening the well area. It is now being considered catching the clean water in a separate concrete trough from where it can overflow into the pan, thus ensuring that the elephants can go on enjoying one of their favourite activities, wallowing in the mud.