In truth, most people feel put out, if the hot water is gone, because the last person in the shower stayed too long. If a cold drink is desired, it requires a simple walk to the refrigerator; and if someone else is up, maybe that will not be necessary. The idea of roughing it includes a camper, a shady tree, all the favorite snack foods from home, and a little quick shop just down the road. Most individuals cannot last a day in the desert, let alone 7 years, and do not comprehend what it takes for survival in the Kalahari.
Courage Personified
Mark and Delia Owens are examples of courage personified. Ecologists, the couple felt compelled to study species that most people do not even consider or take for granted, at the very least. In their book, Cry of the Kalahari, living in the Kalahari depends on the survival of the fittest.
Unlike individuals in society that use this phrase to explain sacrificing others in their climb up the corporate ladder, staying alive in the desert has little to do with greed. It is truly wild animals doing what it takes to survive. The strong live through the harsh conditions, and the weak succumb to the same.
The Hierarchy
Living in the wilds of the Kalahari Desert is a constant struggle. Even the babies of a species are constantly being taught how to fend for themselves. Play is actually practice for the future. Mother love is not long lost on the youngsters. As soon as the next generation is ready, they are somewhat cruelly shoved away.
In fact, fathers will attack their own sons in the struggle to remain at the top of the hierarchy. The head hyena, lioness, or jackal has the best chance of eating from a kill until full. Alternatively, the guy at the bottom of the heap may only get to lick the bones, unless those have also been eaten.
Understand that it is not simply a matter of meanness or greed. In the deserts of the Kalahari, it is what is required to ensure survival of the species. Even for the animals at the head of the social chain, it is absolutely amazing that any animals, or people for that matter, can survive the hot and dry season of the Kalahari.
Dry as a Bone
In a miraculous year, the Kalahari rainy season may yield between 20-40 inches of water. But, unless the moisture is stored in some kind of receptacle, the thirsty desert will drink every last drop. A few areas may have a puddle or an excess amount of greenery for awhile; but, it will be short lived. Soon, the hot and dry months of the year will erase any signs of water.
Think about it. To remain well-hydrated, the average adult needs approximately 8 glasses of water per day, under normal conditions. Now, imagine how much liquid a wild animal requires to survive in 120 degree weather, with no water to be found for miles. It is totally amazing that the Kalahari is not littered with bones and everything from insects to lions has perished from the face of the earth. So, how do even the fittest of a species manage to outlast the cruel conditions?
Basic Instinct
Before being too hard on the nature of wild animals, think about what humans will do, in order to ensure survival. A normally meek and mild mother will become a raging lioness, if her cub is being threatened in any way. In truth, humans are much like the native species of the Kalahari.
With water impossible to find, some animals will migrate to parts unknown, in an effort to get away from the dry and unbearable heat. The wild beasts that stay behind depend on hunting skills and the clock to keep from boiling from the inside-out. Nature dictates waiting for the sun to go down, before seeking food.
As a result, animals and humans will do as little activity as possible, during the daylight hours. Conserving resources is extremely difficult, but essential. When the sun goes down, and the temperature becomes semi-tolerable, it is time to go on the hunt.
Whether it is a mouse or a larger kill, nourishment and liquid are both gained by catching and eating prey. Some species will consume the bones that also provide marrow. No wonder it is a fight to stay at the top of a pack. Even the solitary species develop a hierarchy, so the animals in charge have a better chance to survive.
In short, survival in the Kalahari requires strength and endurance. Survival in the Kalahari requires strength and endurance. Beast or beauty, the will to live despite the adverse circumstances of the Kalahari dry season is essential-for all beings living in the desert. The weaker of the species will not last through the seasons. Only the strong will survive.