The semi-arid Kalahari Desert stretches over parts of Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. It’s an ecological wonderland that isn’t like your average super dry desert. It gets a lot more rain, which is why you can find more mammals and animals than in the Namib Desert, for instance. Let’s have a look at 15 animals of the Kalahari Desert.
1. Springbok
I live in South Africa, where our national rugby team is called The Springboks. There are few animals that can compete with these animals when it comes to importance in our country. So, you really shouldn’t be surprised that I started the list with this animal. Anyway, obviously these jumpy animals live in the Kalahari. They’re adapted to survive in the desert and they can survive without water for long periods. They also have blood vessels in their heads that cool them down.
2. Meerkat
Meerkats live in the Kalahari Desert, the Namib Desert, and southwestern Angola. They’re remarkable desert-dwelling animals with a knack for teamwork and a reputation for being nosy. Their mobs have up to 30 members, and they can survive in the most extreme temperatures because they make underground burrows to stay in. They’ve also got bodily adaptations to help them survive, like thermoregulation and water conservation. They’re insectivores, so they mostly snack on beetles and lepidopterans, which there is an abundance in the Kalahari.
3. Southern Tree Agama
Southern Tree Agamas aren’t your average lizards. They’re mainly arboreal and they only touch the ground to get to the next tree or to nip up ground-living insects. You may think that the Kalahari Desert wouldn’t be ideal for their tree-roaming lifestyle, but somehow, they make it work. They eat ants, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and beetles, and they sleep at night, which makes them diurnal.
4. Giraffe
Giraffes are almost like furniture in the Kalahari Desert. You may be wondering what giraffes eat to survive in such a dry and arid place. It turns out that there’s more than enough leaves, seeds, berries, tree bark, and shrubs to go around. They’ve got thermoregulation and they’re a light color, which helps them to camouflage themselves from the sun. It doesn’t help much, but in the African sun every bit counts.
5. Kalahari Tent Tortoise
You probably guessed where this tortoise lives when you heard the name, right? It’s also known as a serrated tortoise and yes, it resides in the Kalahari. They prefer woodlands, savanna areas, and thick thorn bushes. What’s strange is that they actually try to avoid dry regions. Anyhow, they eat many plants, from herbs to succulents and grass. Unfortunately, they’re vulnerable to illegal pet trade, so they’re better off in the arid desert.
6. Flamingo
Flamingos live all over the Kalahari, but you’ll find that there’s more in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana. That’s because it’s a seasonal wetland area, which is much better suited to their needs. They’re herbivorous animals and they migrate to feed on the algae in the salt pans during every rainy season.
7. Lion
The lion may be king of the jungle, but they roam all over the Kalahari, especially in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa. Their lighter fur is great for their survival, in addition to other adaptations like their longer legs, leaner bodies, larger paws, and sleek manes. They can also survive without water for prolonged periods and the desert is full of their favorite meals, like the Gemsbok and Springbok. They’ll also settle for porcupines, aardvarks, and even mice.
8. Wildebeest
Wildebeests are an animal species that migrate across the globe. They may be one of the amazing animals of the Serengeti, but they also call the Kalahari Desert their home. They can travel up to 50 miles in 5 days without drinking water thanks to their muscles that convert energy into movement and release less heat. They herd with zebras for extra eyes and ears and more predator confusion while they graze.
9. Gemsbok
The gemsbok is native to the Kalahari, but somehow, they’ve become an unusual invasive species in New Zealand and the UK. They’re also called the South African oryx, but they also live in the Namib Desert. Just like most, if not all, animals on this list, they can go for extended periods without drinking water. Fortunately, they have blood vessels in their head that they use to raise their body temperature to avoid losing water.
10. Cheetah
Of all the animals unique to Africa, cheetahs are my favorite. They also happen to be my favorite of all the big cats. They’re well-adapted to the southern Kalahari and its conditions, but they also live in the Okavango Delta and the Transvaal region in South Africa. Cheetahs are elusive so we don’t know exactly how many inhabit the Kalahari, but we know that they can go without water for up to ten days.
11. African Wild Dog
The Kalahari Desert is home to the African wild dog, but there aren’t many of them left. That’s because they’re one of the most endangered animals in Africa. What counts in their favor is the low predator density, which means they’ve got a fair chance of landing a hunt when they need one.
12. Leopard
There are many differences between cheetahs and leopards but one similarity is that they both live in the Kalahari Desert. They limit water loss by staying in the shade during the hottest parts of the day. During rainy seasons they stay cool with the help of water. They also eat nearly every type of prey there is, so there’s no shortage of their food in the desert.
13. Brown Hyena
These hyenas also find refuge in the savannas and grasslands of the Kalahari Desert. They’re both scavengers of leftover carcasses and clever opportunists that supplement their dietary needs with rodents, ostrich eggs, and even insects. Unfortunately, while they’re smart enough to survive the harshest conditions, they’re still near threatened according to the IUCN Red List.
14. Secretary Bird
The secretary bird is endemic to Africa, where they join the beautiful pink flamingos in the wetlands of the Kalahari Desert. They spend the majority of their time on the ground, where they feast on small mammals, other birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. So, practically the entire smaller animal kingdom. Unfortunately, their populations are declining by the minute, and they’re now considered endangered.
