Kalahari desert

Kalahari xeric savanna ecoregion

WWF AT1309

Map
Also see Kalahari bushveld

This semi-arid Kalahari ecoregion has a harsh climate. Daily temperatures between night and day may differ by as much as 45°C. Rainfall is infrequent. The region consists of level plains (Kalahari Basin), with long parallel sand dunes in the south.

• Location
• Elevation
• Area
• Nature Reserves
• Climate
• Geology
• Vegetation
• Mammals
• Birds
• Amphibians
• Reptiles

Location

The region covers the area across northwestern South Africa, southern Botswana and southeastern Namibia.

Kalahari sands extend from the northern Cape in South Africa to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Elevation

Elevation ranges from 600 m to 1'600 m. Most of the region lies above 1'000 m.

Area

588'100 square kilometers

Nature Reserves

Nature Reserves found in this ecoregion are:

• Central Kalahari Nature Reserve (this reserve also consists of the Kalahari Acacia-Baikiaea woodlands ecoregion)
• Khutse Game Reserve (Botswana)
• Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP) -- official union of the former Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (South Africa) and the Gembsok National Park (Botswana): 34'390 square kilometers

TOP

Climate

• Rainfall
  • 150 mm (southwest) and 500 mm (northeast)
• Temperature
  • fluctuation is extreme
  • winter
    • night: –14°C
    • day: 30°C
  • summer
    • night: 5°C
    • day: 45°C

TOP

Geology

• sands (nutrient poor) of this ecoregion vary in depth
• reddish-brown color is caused by a thin layer of iron oxide; where color differs the oxide has been washed out by water
• below the sand is mainly calcrete
• minerals are found below the sand in some places:
  • diamonds
  • copper
  • coal

TOP

Vegetation

Less than 3% of plants are endemic. The camelthorn is the only common large tree.

In wetter areas, the vegetation is open savanna with grasses interrupted by trees:

• grasses
  • Schmidtia spp.
  • Stipagrostis spp.
  • Aristida spp.
  • and Eragrostis spp.
• trees
  • camelthorn (Acacia erioloba)
  • grey camelthorn (A. haematoxylon)
  • shepherd’s tree (Boscia albitrunca)
  • false umbrella thorn (A. luederitzii)
  • blackthorn (A. mellifera)
  • cluster-leaf (Terminalia sericea)
• shrubs
  • Grewia flava
  • Ziziphus mucronata
  • Tarchonanthus camphoratus
  • Rhigozum trichotomum
  • Acacia hebeclada
  • Lycium spp.

In drier areas large trees occur mostly in riverbeds. The rolling red dunes are sparsely populated by smaller

• trees
  • A. erioloba
  • A. haematoxylon
  • B. albitrunca
• broom bushes (Crotalaria spartioides)
• dune reeds (Stipagrostis amabilis)
• creeping tsamma melons (Citrullus lanatus)
• gemsbok cucumbers (Acanthosicyos naudinianus)
• cucumbers (Cucumis africanus)

TOP

Mammals

There are few endemic species

• near-endemic small mammal: Brants's whistling rat (Parotomys brantsii)
• large predators
  • cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus VU)
  • leopard (Panthera pardus)
  • spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta LR)
  • brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea LR)
  • wild dog (Lycaon pictus EN)
• smaller vertebrate predators
  • aardwolf (Proteles cristata)
  • caracal (Felis caracal)
  • black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas)
  • honey badger (Mellivora capensis)
  • African wild cat (Felis lybica)
  • black-footed cat (Felis nigripes)
  • striped polecat (Ictonyx striatus)
  • common genet (Genetta genetta)
  • bat-eared and Cape fox (Otocyon megalotis, Vulpes chama)
  • meerkat (Suricata suricatta)
  • banded mongoose (Mungos mungo)
  • slender mongoose (Herpestes sanguinea)
  • yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata)
• springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis, LR)
• hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus, LR)
• gemsbok
• wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus, LR)
• duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)
• springhare (Pedetes capensis)
• porcupines (Hystrix africaeaustralis)

TOP

Birds

There are no strictly endemic birds.

Communal nests of the sociable weaver can be up to 6 m long and 2 m high. As many as 300 birds may be accommodated in such a 1'000 kg nest.

• raptors
  • secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius)
  • eagles such as martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)
• owls
  • such as the giant eagle owl (Bubo lacteus)
• falcons
• goshawks
• kestrels
• kites

TOP

Amphibians

• There is 1 near-endemic amphibian
• giant bull frog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)

Reptiles

• There are 9 near-endemic reptiles
• endemic:
  • Typhlosaurus gariepensis
• boomslang (Dispholidus typus typus)
• Cape cobra (Naja nivea)
• puff adder (Bitis arietans)
• rock monitor (Varanus exanthematicus albigularis)
• geckos
• lizards
• skinks

TOP