Animal life in the Kalahari is more varied in the north than in the south. Yet even in the dry south, many individuals of several
species stay for long period of time even though there's less water. The main species found in the south are springbok (gazelle), gnu(wildebeest), and hartebeest (large antelope) which are usually in great herds, gemsbok (oryx), and many smaller unsociable species such as the steenbok (small antelope).
The northern Kalahari supports a great amount of animals such as giraffes, zebras, elephants, buffalo, and antelopes and predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, wild hunting dogs, and foxes.other large and medium-sized mammals, such as jackals, hyenas, warthogs, baboons, badgers, anteaters, ant bears, hare, and porcupines and numerous small rodents, several types of snakes and lizards, and a wealth of birdlife.
species stay for long period of time even though there's less water. The main species found in the south are springbok (gazelle), gnu(wildebeest), and hartebeest (large antelope) which are usually in great herds, gemsbok (oryx), and many smaller unsociable species such as the steenbok (small antelope).
The northern Kalahari supports a great amount of animals such as giraffes, zebras, elephants, buffalo, and antelopes and predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, wild hunting dogs, and foxes.other large and medium-sized mammals, such as jackals, hyenas, warthogs, baboons, badgers, anteaters, ant bears, hare, and porcupines and numerous small rodents, several types of snakes and lizards, and a wealth of birdlife.
THE AARDWOLF.
Habitat: The Aardwolf's habitat includes open patches around grassy
plains.
Diet: Their diet is almost entirely insects. They eat no meat, as their teeth
aren't adapted to tougher foods.
Appearance: The Aardwolf is about the size of a small jackal and it has the body shape of a hyena. It's yellow-brown to dull yellow and has long, coarse fur. It has black stripes on the side and sometimes on the legs. The muzzle and feet are black, and the ears are long, narrow and
pointed.
Lifestyle: The Aardwolf is usually found in groups of four or five. They are nocturnal animals who sleeping or hide in old
Aardvark holes, or holes which they dig themselves. for defence they use their long canine teeth and if necessary,
they spike up their manes making themselves appear much bigger.
Breeding: Litters of 2-4 young are born from September to April after a period of ±2 months. Births are usually during the summer months. They are born in a burrow and if the mother moves them she carry's them by the neck to s new den.
Habitat: The Aardwolf's habitat includes open patches around grassy
plains.
Diet: Their diet is almost entirely insects. They eat no meat, as their teeth
aren't adapted to tougher foods.
Appearance: The Aardwolf is about the size of a small jackal and it has the body shape of a hyena. It's yellow-brown to dull yellow and has long, coarse fur. It has black stripes on the side and sometimes on the legs. The muzzle and feet are black, and the ears are long, narrow and
pointed.
Lifestyle: The Aardwolf is usually found in groups of four or five. They are nocturnal animals who sleeping or hide in old
Aardvark holes, or holes which they dig themselves. for defence they use their long canine teeth and if necessary,
they spike up their manes making themselves appear much bigger.
Breeding: Litters of 2-4 young are born from September to April after a period of ±2 months. Births are usually during the summer months. They are born in a burrow and if the mother moves them she carry's them by the neck to s new den.
THE CHEETAH
Habitat: Cheetahs favour wide open plains and avoid densely wooded or mountainous
regions. In open grassland with scattered patches of trees, they run their prey
down in a short burst of very high speed.
Diet: Cheetahs are carnivores and their favourite meal is usually Thomson’s gazelle. If a female Cheetah is pregnant or has cubs she with kill one deer a day. The Cheetahs diet include gazelle, deer and impala.
springbok and Grant’s gazelle.
Appearance: Cheetahs have solid black spots all over the body and a black tear mark running from the inside of the eye to the outside of the mouth. They are lanky, streamlined animals, that are built for speed. some have been know to reach speeds of 100 km. They have long, thin legs and a relatively long, thin chest and abdomen. Their heads are less bulky than a leopards.
Lifestyle: They are often found in groups of two or three, and roam over large areas. Unlike leopards, they are more active during the day.
Breeding: The female gives birth to 1 - 5 cubs after a gestation period of 3 months.
Habitat: Cheetahs favour wide open plains and avoid densely wooded or mountainous
regions. In open grassland with scattered patches of trees, they run their prey
down in a short burst of very high speed.
Diet: Cheetahs are carnivores and their favourite meal is usually Thomson’s gazelle. If a female Cheetah is pregnant or has cubs she with kill one deer a day. The Cheetahs diet include gazelle, deer and impala.
springbok and Grant’s gazelle.
Appearance: Cheetahs have solid black spots all over the body and a black tear mark running from the inside of the eye to the outside of the mouth. They are lanky, streamlined animals, that are built for speed. some have been know to reach speeds of 100 km. They have long, thin legs and a relatively long, thin chest and abdomen. Their heads are less bulky than a leopards.
Lifestyle: They are often found in groups of two or three, and roam over large areas. Unlike leopards, they are more active during the day.
Breeding: The female gives birth to 1 - 5 cubs after a gestation period of 3 months.
THE LION
Habitat:
Diet: Their favourite prey are zebras and wildebeests. Large animals such as the Buffalo and the Giraffe are also attacked by these powerful gorgeous creatures.
Appearance:
Lifestyle: Lions are mostly found in areas well populated with zebras and wildebeest. Lions occasionally kill during the day but are mainly nocturnal hunters. They
would rather lay under the shade of trees during the day. Lions are territorial animals and each pride has their own area to hunt and live in. They also live in prides of up to 30 individuals.
Breeding: When a lion is ready for mating, a male and female lion will leave the remainder of the pride for several days. During this time they wont hunt or search for food. The males arealso very aggressive during this period.
Habitat:
Diet: Their favourite prey are zebras and wildebeests. Large animals such as the Buffalo and the Giraffe are also attacked by these powerful gorgeous creatures.
Appearance:
Lifestyle: Lions are mostly found in areas well populated with zebras and wildebeest. Lions occasionally kill during the day but are mainly nocturnal hunters. They
would rather lay under the shade of trees during the day. Lions are territorial animals and each pride has their own area to hunt and live in. They also live in prides of up to 30 individuals.
Breeding: When a lion is ready for mating, a male and female lion will leave the remainder of the pride for several days. During this time they wont hunt or search for food. The males arealso very aggressive during this period.
THE SPRINGBOK.
Habitat: They are found in open. dry bush, grasslands or riverbeads near water.
Diet: Springbok feed on shrubs, grasses, roots and bulbs.
Appearance: Springbok are medium sized The springbok have fast stiff legs to leaps and they can leaps up 3.5m high.
Lifestyle: The Springbok is South Africa’s national animal and the only southern
African gazelle. They are known for their incredibly fast stiff-legged jumps and can leap 3.5m and can reach a speeds of up to 90km/h. Even though they are fast Cheetahs and Leopard can still catch them. They can be found in large groupd even up to 100 during the dry season. They are sometimes seen with other heards of animals aswel.
Breeding: The mother springbok gives birth to a single lamb after a gestation period of about 6 months. They are normally born during the rainy season when there is a lot of vegetation. The mothers springboks hide their newborn young in grass or in a bush where it keeps dead still for two days. Soon after, the lamb achieves speed and strength and it is able to flee if threatened or troubled.
Habitat: They are found in open. dry bush, grasslands or riverbeads near water.
Diet: Springbok feed on shrubs, grasses, roots and bulbs.
Appearance: Springbok are medium sized The springbok have fast stiff legs to leaps and they can leaps up 3.5m high.
Lifestyle: The Springbok is South Africa’s national animal and the only southern
African gazelle. They are known for their incredibly fast stiff-legged jumps and can leap 3.5m and can reach a speeds of up to 90km/h. Even though they are fast Cheetahs and Leopard can still catch them. They can be found in large groupd even up to 100 during the dry season. They are sometimes seen with other heards of animals aswel.
Breeding: The mother springbok gives birth to a single lamb after a gestation period of about 6 months. They are normally born during the rainy season when there is a lot of vegetation. The mothers springboks hide their newborn young in grass or in a bush where it keeps dead still for two days. Soon after, the lamb achieves speed and strength and it is able to flee if threatened or troubled.
THE MEERKAT.
Habitat:Meerkats live inside underground burrows
Diet:They mainly prey on insects and they are also immune to venom allowing them
to eat scorpions and snakes without being poisoned.
Appearance: Meerkats have a hairless patch on their bellies that they use to absorb the
heat after cold desert nights.
Lifestyle: The best-known meerkat is certainly Timon. Which is also one of the main characters in the Disney animated movie The Lion King. Although Timon hung out with a lion and a warthog in the movie, meerkats usually stick together in large groups called "mobs" or "gangs".
Breeding: The Alpha male and female do most of the breeding and their litter size is usually 2-5 at a gestation period of 11 weeks. their breeding season is October-April.
Habitat:Meerkats live inside underground burrows
Diet:They mainly prey on insects and they are also immune to venom allowing them
to eat scorpions and snakes without being poisoned.
Appearance: Meerkats have a hairless patch on their bellies that they use to absorb the
heat after cold desert nights.
Lifestyle: The best-known meerkat is certainly Timon. Which is also one of the main characters in the Disney animated movie The Lion King. Although Timon hung out with a lion and a warthog in the movie, meerkats usually stick together in large groups called "mobs" or "gangs".
Breeding: The Alpha male and female do most of the breeding and their litter size is usually 2-5 at a gestation period of 11 weeks. their breeding season is October-April.
THE ELEPHANT.
Habitat: They live in the Kunene Region, encompassing 115,154km2 of mostly sandy desert,
rocky mountains and arid gravel plains in Namibia's northwest.
Diet: They survive by eating moisture-laden vegetation growing in ephemeral
riverbeds and with their ability to go several days without drinking water.
Appearance: Generally, the elephant is 19-24 feet wide and 10-13 feet to the shoulder. It weighs 5 and a half to 7 tons. The elephant has a brown-grey skin that is 1 inch thick. Also they have large ears. The elephant has a trunk and tusks. The trunk is long and and is made of all muscles.
Lifestyle: Elephants live in groups of 8-15 for protection. The groups are lead by dominant females. Elephants have a life span of 60 to 70 years and its predator is the human.
Breeding: Usually, only 1 or 2 babies are born at a time. Elephants are pregnant for a long time until they actually give birth.
Habitat: They live in the Kunene Region, encompassing 115,154km2 of mostly sandy desert,
rocky mountains and arid gravel plains in Namibia's northwest.
Diet: They survive by eating moisture-laden vegetation growing in ephemeral
riverbeds and with their ability to go several days without drinking water.
Appearance: Generally, the elephant is 19-24 feet wide and 10-13 feet to the shoulder. It weighs 5 and a half to 7 tons. The elephant has a brown-grey skin that is 1 inch thick. Also they have large ears. The elephant has a trunk and tusks. The trunk is long and and is made of all muscles.
Lifestyle: Elephants live in groups of 8-15 for protection. The groups are lead by dominant females. Elephants have a life span of 60 to 70 years and its predator is the human.
Breeding: Usually, only 1 or 2 babies are born at a time. Elephants are pregnant for a long time until they actually give birth.