Karoo National Park in South Africa's Western Cape is part of the larger Great Karoo, a huge area of semi-desert dominated by the Nuweweld Mountains.
Though conditions here are harsh, Karoo is home to a surprisingly wide variety of endemic wildlfe, such as Black Rhino, buffalo and Cape Mountain Zebra. There are also over 20 pairs of Black Eagles in the park, and a high number of springbok.
The park also has two rather strange claims to fame. It is here that efforts are being made to rebreed the formerly extinct zebra sub-species, the Quagga. Also, it has the world's highest density of tortoises per equivalent area!
The Great Karoo has the richest diversity of desert flora and the largest variety of succulents in the world. There are over 9000 species of plants in the region.
