Local residents established Moremi to preserve the natural resources of ancestral lands. It was proclaimed a game reserve in 1963 and named in gratitude after Chief Moremi III and his wife. Moremi is the only official protected area in the Okavango Delta. The Reserve, some 5,000 sq. km, is equivalent in size to the country of Trinidad and Tobago and contains a classic blend of land and delta landscapes, including wetlands, waterways, lagoons and pools, dry salt pans, grassland, woodland, and Mopani forest. These ecosystems host a vast array of terrestrial and aquatic game and predator species, as well as over 560 species of bird. Optimal game viewing is from May through to November, when the drier climate means that game moves to areas closer to waterways and lagoons to drink, bringing with them the interests of predator species. This dry season is accompanied by moderate, lower temperatures, with nighttime dropping to single digits. The wet season – December through to April – sees more unstable weather conditions, with higher temperatures and characteristic storms and rainfall. This rainfall drives the regeneration of plant life, providing cover for the annual birth of young antelope and other game species.