The Badigeru swamp (or Bedigeru, Badingilu) swamp lies in South Sudan, in the

Central Equatoria Central Equatoria is a states of South Sudan, state in South Sudan. With an area of , it is the smallest of the original South Sudanese states. Its previous name was Bahr al-Jabal (also Bahr-el-Jebel), named after a tributary of the White Nile t ...

and

Eastern Equatoria Eastern Equatoria is a state in South Sudan. It has an area of 73,472 km2. The capital city is Torit. On October 1, 1972, the state was divided into Imatong and Namorunyang states and was re-established by a peace agreement signed on 22 F ...

states between Terekeka and Lafon. Badigeru is a valley swamp with papyrus along the river and typical grasses for the region in the floodplain. Although not protected, it is relatively undisturbed by human activity. The swamps are fed by the Kinyeti River and others that drain the northern slopes of the

Imatong Mountains The Imatong Mountains (also Immatong, or rarely Matonge) are mainly located in Eastern Equatoria in southeastern South Sudan, and extend into the Northern Region of Uganda. Mount Kinyeti is the highest mountain of the range at , and the highest ...

. These swamps, running in a SSW-NNE direction for , are discontinuous. They may be as wide as in the rainy season, but average in width. The swamps in turn may drain westward into the Bahr el Jebel section of the

White Nile The White Nile ( ') is a river in Africa, the minor of the two main tributaries of the Nile, the larger being the Blue Nile. The name "White" comes from the clay sediment carried in the water that changes the water to a pale color. In the stri ...

or eastward into the Veveno River. Lt. Colonel P. Molloy visited the swamp in the dry season between 23 and 25 February 1950, possibly the first European to reach the area. Starting from Mongalla, he traveled eastward across dry, open grassland for between and to a pool on the Khor Son, the name given to the Kinyeti River near the swamp. According to the local people, the Badigeru was the only reliable source of water between Mongalla and Lafon. Molloy's observations of wildlife tended to confirm that the water, which he found drinkable, remained year round. When Molloy visited, the Khor Son was between 150 and 200 yards wide, winding across a flat plain between a series of shallow depressions. In the winter, the wide plain would be flooded to form the swamp. Molloy described rich wildlife in and around the swamp. He observed large numbers of pelicans, open-billed storks, wood ibis, sacred ibis, marabout, saddleback and hammerheaded storks, fishing eagles, lily-trotters, grey herons, spurwing geese, comb duck, whistling teal and common teal. In the burnt grassland around the swamp he saw

zebra Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), the plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. ...

hartebeest The hartebeest (; ''Alcelaphus buselaphus''), also known as kongoni or kaama, is an Fauna of Africa, African antelope. It is the Monotypic taxon, only member of the genus ''Alcelaphus''. Eight subspecies have been described, including two som ...

, tiang, reedbuck and Mongalla Gazelle. He also saw

giraffe The giraffe is a large Fauna of Africa, African even-toed ungulate, hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa.'' It is the Largest mammals#Even-toed Ungulates (Artiodactyla), tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on ...

ostrich Ostriches are large flightless birds. Two living species are recognised, the common ostrich, native to large parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and the Somali ostrich, native to the Horn of Africa. They are the heaviest and largest living birds, w ...

elephant Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus ...

and

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

References

{{reflist , refs= {{cite book , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VLjafeXa3gMC&pg=PA224 , page=224 , title=A directory of African wetlands , author=R. H. Hughes, J. S. Hughes , publisher=IUCN , year=1992 , isbn=2-88032-949-3 {{cite web , url=http://www.sudanarchive.net/cgi-bin/pagessoa?a=pdf&d=Dunepd54&dl=1 , title=The Bedigeru or Badingilu Swamp , first=Lt. Colonel P. , last=Molloy , date=February 1950 Geography of Eastern Equatoria