Bird Spotting on the Okavango

In May of last year a group of explorers and scientists traveled down the Okavango Delta in Botswana. The aim of the expedition was to find new species and collect data on the environment of this mighty river.

Thanks to National Geographic's Into the Okavango you can follow the progression of the expedition and explore the Okavango yourself via an interactive map. Into the Okavango is an animated map which shows the paths taken by four of the explorers. The map automatically plays through the whole expedition but you can take control of the map by pressing the pause button and then using your scroll wheel to progress through the map at your own pace.

As well as the paths taken by the four explorers the map shows the location of bird's spotted along the river during the expedition.

The data from the Okavango expedition and data from previous expeditions of the Okavango Delta is available from the Okavango Database and API. You can navigate to the data by using the 'Data' button on the interactive map. The database and API gives you access to data on animal sightings, audio recordings and photographs.

It is possible to query the database and automatically view the results on an interactive map. For example you can enter 'hippo sightings' into the data explorer and view the results automatically output on a Leaflet powered map.

Google Drops the Dead Donkey

This week a Street View image of a donkey in Botswana happily taking a roll in the dust has being doing the rounds on social media. There has been a lot of speculation suggesting that the Street View car may have knocked over and killed the donkey.

Google has been quick to respond and has released some of the unedited imagery caught by the Street View car. The unedited imagery proves that the Street View car approached the prone donkey, who got to its feet and strolled out of the car's path. The donkey can clearly been seen after the Street View car passed strolling away - still alive.

Now that's sorted out we can all enjoy the sight of a happy donkey taking a dust bath on Street View. In fact you can even check the ass out in kaleidoscope view on the #rorschmap Street View Edition.

Botswana and Canada on Street View

Chobe National Park

Botswana has today become only the second African country to get Street View coverage on Google Maps. There has also been lots of new Street View imagery added in Canada.

Now Google Maps users around the world can explore Botswana’s unique scenery and world-renowned game reserves, like Chobe National Park.


Monkey and deer. Pan the Street View around and there is an elephant as well.

There is also new Street View imagery available in Canada. The new imagery includes panoramas captured in the isolated Nunavut hamlet of Cambridge Bay in Canada's Arctic far north.



Via: Google Africa Blog and Google Canada Blog