1995 was the 18th year of below average rainfall in Etosha. Large herbivores, as a result, have become more widely dispersed in search of grazing, and the predators also seem to be ignoring their previous range limits to widen their search for prey. Lion pride structure has become loose, with individuals traveling huge distances. In an effort to try to understand what is going on, research in DNA fingerprinting and radio tagging of individuals is being carried out. Summer comes early, with temperatures rising noticeably after the advent of spring, in September.
Occasional clouds soar across the sky only to dissolve and disappear again.
During the last couple of months of the dry season, the animals of Etosha become tense and edgy. They have waited long enough. October brings hope, with clouds building and perhaps a few showers. The rainy season, in a good year, begins in November and continues through March and even into April. The pale, parched landscape is transformed under dramatic skyscapes, becoming lush, green and floral.