Kalahari - Africa s Finest Stored Secret

The Kalahari sands lengthen across Botswana from southern Angola to the northern Cape in South Africa. This dry, arid area known as the Kalahari Desert receives less than 10 inches of rain annually. Geologically, it's an immense, flat, sand-stuffed basin in the coronary heart of Africa. A lot of this is a wilderness area populated by wild animals and the San individuals (also referred to as Bushmen).

Nevertheless, in the middle of the Kalahari is the Okavango Delta, an infinite inland river delta. This delta exists because of the Okavango river which flows down from the highlands of Angola. Rainfall is plentiful in these highlands so there's a year round stream within the Okavango river which peaks as flood about a month after the heavy rains in Angola. When the river reaches the flat Kalahari Sands it spreads out as a fantastic inland delta which is blocked by a low ridge caused by the Kunyere Fault. It then disappears into the sand just north of the city of Maun. There many waterways in the delta and it's a verdant oasis in the middle of the Kalahari desert. In years past the waters have spilled over a low ridge at Maun and have reached Lake Xau and the Makarikari Salt Pans about 70 miles south-east of Maun.

The Oryx and the Springbok are both antelope that make their house is the broad flat plains of the Kalahari savannah. The Oryx (or Gemsbok as it is usually identified) has long straight horns that if seen in profile may be mistaken for the legendary unicorn. The Springbok is so-called because if its distinctive leaping habits while running.

The tiny Meerkat (all of 12 inches lengthy) is a mammal of the mongoose family that lives in clans of about twenty in belowground warrens throughout the Kalahari. Every clan survives in this hostile setting by working collectively as a close-knit family group.

A few of the wildlife is unique to the delta, together with the Red Lechwe, the splay-toed, large haunched antelope and the Sitatunga which might be at home within the papyrus swamp.

There are also many other animals equivalent to Cape buffalo, hippo, crocodiles, kudu, sable antelope, impala, baboon, cheetah, water buck, elephant and ostriches.

The Kalahari teems with wildlife and Botswana has executed a wonderful job of conservation making this area probably the greatest places to view wildlife in Africa. Wildlife tourism is inspired by the federal government and there are numerous lodges and game camps the place you can see these animals of their pure state.