Page 94 - Discover Botswana 25th Edition - 2025

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KALAHARI
filled grasslands. These lions are, however, very different
in their social dynamics when the dry replaces the green.
Winter brings with it the start of the dry season, a brutally
unforgiving time of dust and cold, followed by more dust
and heat. As the last grass heads fall to the earth and are
gathered up by busy rodents, the herds of fauna seem to
evaporate with the last remaining rainwater puddles. In
the surrounding bushveld, hidden beneath the sand and
protected from the sun, roots, tubers and bulbs thrive on
the Kalahari’s nutrients. In this vast subterranean larder,
the desert preserves the life force of all its beings through
the bleak months without rain. Anything above ground
bends to the relentless force of summer, but the heart of
the Kalahari remains safe below.
Surviving the dry months is tough, and the animals
need to adapt. Some herd animals travel far in search of
greener pastures. The hardy oryx learn to forage for juicy
tubers by digging deep to get at them. In a unique social
adaptation, the lion prides break up into small groups or
go solo, sometimes even connecting with lion from other
prides. In small numbers, this large predator can eke out an
existence on small mammals, carrion, birds and anything
else edible. They spread out over huge distances, truly
adapted wanderers finding a way to survive.
60 years ago, there was a lot more wildlife movement
in and out of the Kalahari system. Huge herds migrated
between seasonal areas in the magical triangle created by
the Makgadikgadi, the Okavango Delta and the central
Previous pages: A
mating pair of lions
have only one thing on
their mind – the next
generation. The Kalahari,
with its abundance of
prey species, is home to
the famed black maned
lions and an important
stronghold for their long-
term survival.
Right: During the rainy
months the plains of
the Central Kalahari are
dotted with the distinct
shapes and patterns of
wandering Oryx herds.
Facing page: In the
dense scrubland of the
northern Kalahari, an
inquisitive young leopard
peers out through the
grass stems. Formidable
ambush hunters, leopards
hold intrigue for those
venturing into the wild
lands of this vast eco
system.
Below: Not what one
would expect to see when
arriving at a waterhole
first thing in the morning.
A few minutes before,
this lioness had pulled
down a juvenile kudu, the
struggle took them into
the centre of Nxai Pan’s
muddy waterhole. It took
her two and a half hours
to finally drag the carcass
to the shore.