the karoo ( ; from the !orakobab word "ǃ’aukarob" "hardveld") is a semi desert natural region of south africa. no exact definition of what constitutes the karoo is available, so its extent is also not precisely defined. the karoo is partly defined by its topography, geology and climate, and above all, its low rainfall, arid air, cloudless skies, and extremes of heat and cold. the karoo also hosted a well-preserved ecosystem hundreds of million years ago which is now represented by many fossils.