One such situation arose not to long ago when a massive thunderstorm struck the Vryheid area (the catch mend of the Mkuze River). During our evening game drive one day the clouds started to build up in the west. This system got bigger and bigger turning to a dark ominous blue just before dusk that day. We stopped at a vantage point to survey the storm while we had our sundowner drinks in hand. As the uncanny calmness subsides the storm starts to stir. At first lightning was barely visible and only a faint hint of thunder. Then the full fury of the storm let loose, pounding the area it was hovering above. Massive bolts of lightning struck down and all conversation consumed by the all mighty rumble of the thunder. Watching this spectacle unfold on the horizon humbled every single on of us. Happy chatter amongst everyone dissolved into a quiet stare as if not to attract any attention. While we stared in all consuming awe, the storm system started to change. It was moving our way with the leading clouds already above our heads, covering every single speck of sky.
 
As lightning struck on the horizon the bolts of supercharged electricity rippled through the clouds over our heads creating a spreading network of light that went beyond into the next horizon never touching the ground. The resulting thunder shook our bodies as it sounded like a freight train passing by, trying to catch up with the light that shows it the way. Not one drop of rain fell on Amazulu that night. The next morning as we return from our game drive we crossed the river at the low-level bridge close to the lodge. The river was calm, with water just flowing over the bridge as what is normal and we stopped on the bridge to view a Giant Kingfisher surveying the area for a tasty morsel. We continued over the bridge back to the lodge and arrived there about 5 minutes later. On our arrival as I turned the Land Rover's engine of we could here it. It was an alien sound yet seemed so usual. A low rumble with that unmistakable familiarity, “water!” In the five minutes we left the river at the bridge the river came down with all its fury, a flash flood. The once serene entity providing life-giving water to our reserve has now turned into a churning wall of water offering certain death to who ever stand in its way. Chopping and churning like a giant washing machine the now dark brown water is cleaning the riverbeds from overgrowth and sweeping it down river, leaving behind a clean and rejuvenated riverbed. It was known later that the previous night's storm pored down over 4 inches of water fueling the Mkuze River's flash flood the next day. Since that day the river came down 3 more times after heavy storms, but none as spectacular as the first one.

Our animals at Amakhosi and the Amazulu nature reserve are in the proverbial 7th heaven. Mountains of rain resulted in the bush being lush and green. High heat and humidity are resulting in plants growing at an amazing pace. In certain areas grasses are at shoulder height and trees and shrubs are bending and cracking under the weight of their own fruit. Birds, animals and even humans eat the multitudes of fruit produced and in this way helping to distribute these species. There are some very tasty snacks out there if you know where to look (marula's, plums and berries to name but a few). Our elephants are still happily roaming around eating the plentiful fruit and pushing over the odd tree to get to the tasty and often medicinal roots of some trees. Our rhino population had the unfortunate tragedy of loosing one of their two-year-old babies to the lions. I witnessed part of this myself that day. Two of the northern pride male lions made a very ambitious attempt at pulling the baby rhino down. The rhino disappeared into the bush very shortly after that with one lion literally on his back. We all thought that the two lions are going to be in for the beating of their life. To our amazement we found out later that they succeeded in killing the little rhino as the game guards discovered the remains in the bush. The rest of the rhino's are unfazed by their loss and are still going on strong and healthy.

Summer time is also the time for babies. Multitudes of impala, wildebeest, giraffe, and zebra babies can be seen around every corner. Most species of mammals will try to give birth to their offspring during the time of plenty. This gives them a better chance of survival in terms of nutrition. However, predators catch many very early in life. One noticeable phenomenon that occurred was concerning the whole breeding season of the impalas. The rutting season as previously mentioned was early by almost a month and a half this year. This resulted in the birth of most impalas to be early as well. This might not seem to strange at first, but on closer inspection something seems to be going on. In previous years everything was normal concerning the rut and the birthing seasons. Rainfall was low, even below average most of the time with one year of absolute drought. However, this year the rains are the best in 6 years and was 3 months early starting in August (3 months after the impala rutting season) and continuing through until now. Previous records of impala rutting seasons starting earlier before good rains are known. This leads me to think only one thing. The impalas knew. As on previous occasions impalas knew that good rains are coming. This is still an unexplained phenomenon. How do these animals know that this year was going to be an early and exceptional rainy season? If you look at the devastating tsunami of 2004 and how the animals reacted just before it. How did they know? A lot still remains a mystery of how animals can predict natural events. This is a very exciting field of study and maybe one day we can learn how to read these signs to help in predicting a likely event unfolding.

Sightings of our cat friends remain excellent. All are happy and in good condition. Our cheetah population remains in good accord. The female with her three young cubs are doing well and growing up very fast indeed. The female cheetah cub that lost her one eye early in life is doing very well and she and her brother are living life to the fullest under the watchful eye of their mother. We decided to name their mother and gave her the name “Mfazi Umyama”, which means “the dark lady” in the Zulu lanuage, after the dark patterns on her body. A new young male has been spotted on the plains a few times now. It is believed that he comes from outside the reserve and is settling in nicely into his new home. All cheetahs that frequent our plains are a little bit nervous, which is understandable. Our southern pride of lions is now hanging out in the north of the reserve. Notably close to the plains and the cheetahs. A short time ago they decided to do a bit of trespassing and has remained here since. It doesn't look like our northern pride really cares about the intrusion. One night while following the southern pride the unbelievable happened. They suddenly stopped as they noticed a herd of wildebeest close by. Everyone sprang into action. The pride spread out over the area planning a very cunning ambush attack. One young male launched himself into the herd, which scattered in all directions. One female still close to my vehicle saw one wildebeest heading in her direction. She crouched down in the prone position ready to strike from behind a bush. As the wildebeest came around the corner she launched herself like a bullet out of a rifle and grabbed the wildebeest around the neck. The momentum of both animals carried them towards me and slammed into the vehicles bulbar.  She was almost instantaneously back on her feet still holding on to the wildebeest by its neck. Seconds later she got the struggling animal under control and the rest of the pride joined in. We sat there and watched how a whole wildebeest disappeared within 30 minutes between seven lions. I turned to my guests, who looked a bit green, and told them that this was a once in a lifetime experience and that we were very privileged to see this whole event. One moment the lions were as lazy as ever almost looking like house cats that you can pat, the next moment ruthless, pitiless predators that displayed unbelievable speed, agility and power with little remorse. 
Leopard sightings are still ever growing in frequency and quality. Our big dominant male of the area is sighted very often now. What an amazingly huge, true Zululand animal he is. He has even been mistaken for a female lion at a distance once or twice. Tracks of at least three new females have been found recently in his territory. This is good news for the future of the leopard population on this reserve. 

As can be seen in the above mentioned events the endless cycle of life and death still plays out on the African savanna. There are times of endless peace, beauty and serenity that in an instant can be turned into the most fearful, savage carnage imaginable. We are all bound to this endless cycle whether we like it or not, even if we are watching these events unfold from a game viewing vehicle.

Kind regards and seasons greetings
Jaco Becker (Senior ranger, Amakhosi lodge)(BSc. Entomology; BSc. Hons. Wildlife management)