The Kalahari Desert in southern Africa is centered in Botswana and supports large populations of meerkats.
The Kalahari extends across Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Despite its name and desert classification, much of it is semi-arid and receives more seasonal rain than the Namib. Its red sands, grasslands, thorn scrub, and dry river systems support diverse wildlife, including meerkats, springbok, gemsbok, and Kalahari lions.
Meerkats live in cooperative family groups and dig extensive burrow systems for shelter from heat, cold, and predators. Their social behavior, including sentry duty, has made them especially familiar through wildlife documentaries, but they are one part of a much broader Kalahari ecosystem.
The Kalahari Basin is larger than the desert itself and includes areas with different levels of aridity. The Okavango Delta lies within the broader basin but is a wetland, not a desert, because seasonal floodwaters spread across it.