Water of Life
By Jaco Badenhorst
October month has been referred to as suicide month in the Kruger National
Park. Conditions are hot, dry and dusty, bleak, barren and dead. It is also the
time of the year for bushfires. The hot dry windy conditions are perfect for
fires and almost every year large parts of the Kruger National Park burns.
The blackened veldt adds to the depressed conditions of October. There are
no new green leaves and the bush is colourless without flowers. There is very
little life. Small creatures are well hidden to get away from the dry heat of a
fierce sun and the devastating heat of a fire. It is dry, very hot and there is no
escape from it. The trees are leafless and shade is scarce. Even birdsong
sounds tired. There is as yet no sign of humidity that would bring the promise
of rain. The heat taps energy and sucks everything dry. Not only humans feel
it but animals are also affected by it. Tempers are short and the lack of food
and limited water put stress on all. It is best to stay well clear from dangerous
animals in these conditions. Especially bulk feeders and big drinkers like
elephant, rhino and hippo.
Depressing as it sounds, it is the best month to see big game, if that is the
only thing that you are interested in. Game concentrates around water points
during this time and it is therefore relatively easy to locate animals. This and
the fact that there are no leaves on bushes and trees, make visibility in the
bush at its best. Predators normally do well, as prey animals tend to loose
condition and become weaker and thus easier to catch. Fires are important
and not unwanted as it does rejuvenate the bush by getting rid of old dead
plant material and stimulate new growth.
Then, as anticipated, it becomes humid. It builds up slowly over weeks. It
becomes windy late afternoons at the end of sweltering hot days and clouds
start to build up. At first it is just a tease, like a rhino cow in early oestrus.
She will get all the bulls excited, but would let them wait till she is ready. Like
the rhino cow’s rumblings, the heavens would also rumble, but it would wait
for the right time. The next day it may all be gone and the process would start
all over again.
When the time is right there would be other little signs. Snakes would move
around more, scorpions would come out of hiding and ants and termites would
be more active. These will be signs that weather conditions are definitely
Water of Life by Jaco Badenhorst – 6 December 2005
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changing and a high humidity building up. After the end of another hot day
the wind would blow clouds together, thunder would announce the coming of a
storm and noses and other senses would tell that there is rain in the air.
African thunderstorms are impressive to say the least. Incredible amounts of
energy get released in split seconds that can keep large mega cities of the
world in power for years. The loud claps would wake you up at night, but it
would comfort you at the same time because of the promise of rain. Dark rain
filled clouds would roll in and open up like a sieve to bless the parched hot
earth with a life giving substance – water.
Rain immediately lifts the suicidal mood of all and brings with it new growth
and new life. It cools the hot earth and hot tempers. It changes the hot, dry,
dusty, bleak, barren and dead landscape into a cool, wet, muddy, green and
fertile paradise.
Frogs sing their love songs in full pans. Dung beetles become shit stirrers and
love machines. Termite princes and princesses emerge to fly away to new
honeymoon destinations.
Shongololos are all over in constricting love
embraces. Bird song becomes much more energetic and migrants arrive to
share in the good times. Flowers pop up everywhere to add colour and new
grass and leaves appear within hours giving a crisp freshness to the bush.
With the "tjip chrrrrrrr" of the first Woodland Kingfisher, the first impala lamb
appears and thousands will follow. Other game species have also been waiting
for the rain to bring new plant growth to sustain mothers while rearing their
young. The happy season has arrived, and thank goodness that it will last till
the end of March.
Continuous rain replenishes the water supply in pans, dams, rivers and
fountains. Water is such an important aspect of life. So many people take
water for granted and abuse the privilege.
There can be no life without it.
Without water we would be on a suicide mission and we would be stuck in an
eternal "October".
Water of Life by Jaco Badenhorst – 6 December 2005