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Newsletter 126
11/11/15

Lightning Strikes 3 Times

“I’ve seen fire
And I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days
That I thought would never end”
 

James Taylor
From the song 'Fire and Rain’ 

Hello friends 

I have noticed that crises often come in threes. Therefore after the Tidi Modise tragedy and the tiger break out, it was not unexpected when lightning struck a high mountain at Tiger Canyons, setting the dry grass alight. 

Nobody can fight a fire on a mountain, the terrain is too rugged, the wind too strong and the position too dangerous. Therefore you wait until the fire comes to ground level and then you attempt to contain it. 

Fire is however a natural and essential part of the natural process. Old moribund grass is burnt off allowing new grass to come through. Fire has been changing and modifying the African Savannah for millions of years. 

Therefore what we should be doing is sitting back and watching Gaia flex her powerful muscles. We should embrace the fire in all its power and glory. However we can’t do this because we have thousands of sheep, goats and cattle enclosed in camps. 

We are in the throws of a massive drought and to allow the fire to take the last of the grass would be catastrophic. So we go to war against the fire. 

Everything else except us, rejoices in the fire. Black eagles fly overhead waiting for the fire to flush Cape Hair, Rock Hyrax and Peters Red Tailed Rabbits. Rock, common and  red footed kestrels fly above the flames catching the insects fleeing the fire. 

Tortoises crawl into the rocks and monitor lizards go down holes to escape the heat. Birds, reptiles and mammals are either benefiting or avoiding the fire. 

Humans are fighting a losing battle. One section of the fire is beaten out, then the wind changes starting the fire in a new direction. 

Farmers come from far and wide to help fight the fire. Not all are committed. Some want the fire to get into their farm so they can claim on insurance for loss of grazing. 

The firefighters are brought in. They are receiving double pay so they don’t want the fire to end because they are earning good money. 

Typically the  fire is at its worst during Saturday and Sunday. Normally the firefighters would be drinking in Philippolis, so now they bring the booze to the fire. Drunk firefighters fighting a fire, a recipe for disaster! One drunk firefighter collapses in front of the flames and is pulled out by his legs, seconds before the flames engulf him. 

The fire pushed by the wind and drawn by the 38 degree Celcius heat is moving rapidly. The fire moves through the tiger fence at high speed. Tigers go into the water and green reed beds where they are safe. 

Springbuck and Blesbuck move into the overgrazed areas where there is no grass to burn. Mountain reedbuck desert the mountains, their normal safe zone, and join the Blesbuck and Springbuck on the bare areas. Warthog, antbear and porcupine stay deep down their burrows, cool and safe. Every animal instinctively knows fire is dangerous. Every animal ensures their own safety. 

On the ground the humans are losing the battle, the fire swings East, South and West devouring all before it. I can’t help admiring the force and power of the fire. Small and insignificant I am nothing next to this powerful force of nature. 

My instinct tells me that days are getting hotter, wind is getting stronger, rain is getting less. Gaia is flexing her considerable muscle. Red lights are blinking! 

The fire races through Tiger Canyons and onwards to other farms. Some of the fences are damaged. Thankfully all the tigers are safe. 

The burnt area looks like a lunar landscape. Many of the bushes that tigers need to stalk and ambush prey are gone. 

In 2011 Tiger Canyons was nearly wiped out by the floods. In 2015 fire devastates Tiger Canyons. Gaia Speaks, Nature Rules, can we listen?

The rain will fall on the burnt areas and a green flush of new grass will emerge. The game will congregate on the new grass providing hunting opportunities for tigers.

The river and dense reed beds were too wet to burn. These provide essential cover and shade for resting tigers.

Tibo’s area, Corbett's area and the cheetah area were not burnt. Tibo and her cubs continue as normal.

We pray to Gaia to send us good rain so Tiger Canyons can once again return to the Garden of Eden.

Tread Lightly on the Earth
JV


Thank you

I would like to thank Basil Drew, Diesch and Elaine Andrews, Riki Pieterse, Jakob Pieterse, Odette Taute, Keisha Kleinhans, Sunette Fourie and all the firefighters who came to help us.

To the many farmers who stayed late into the nights fighting the fire.

The firefighters from Otterskloof and Laohu Valley.

Rodney Drew who sourced a professional firefighting crew from Rouxville.


"In the Jaws of the Tiger Musical"

In the Jaws of the Tiger Musical has been released. I would like to thank Bobby Johnson the producer, The Black Dudes, Wendy Oldfield, Leonie, Micki and all the musicians that worked on the production.

First two songs:

Cameraman: https://youtu.be/vwctkLggj_A

Shingalana in my Tent: https://youtu.be/6vrRWuwBu7c

 

Tread lightly on the Earth

[email protected]
Copyright 2007 @jvbigcats  All rights reserved


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Cub relocation


Londolozi
Newsletters

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17/08/09


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10/02/09

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Painted Wolves


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Response to Elephant Trust
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09/04/08

Elephant Trust