Africa: The Great Apes - Venture Magazine Issue #1 Pages 8-9

Go Gorilla!

If you want a wildlife experience that will change your life, you need to seek out a mountain gorilla, says seasoned traveller Hilary Bradt

We left before dawn, following the road as it edged round the mountains, climbing to viewpoints from where I could glimpse blue-grey hills stacked up to the horizon in rows. The roads were crowded with people taking their goods to market. One woman carried a treadle sewing machine on her head, bicycles transported two or three passengers plus their loads, and children were almost hidden under baskets of fruit.

At the park headquarters we met our guide, John, who asked whether we were suffering from colds or other infectious diseases which could be passed on to the gorillas. If so, we would have to stay behind. In any case, he explained, we must keep a distance of seven metres from the animals. “Sometimes difficult – the gorillas don’t know these rules and they like tourists!”

The term “gorilla tracking” is evocative but inaccurate: these days the hard work is done by a team of trackers with walkie-talkie radios. By the time the tourists have signed in and been briefed on gorilla etiquette, the guides know exactly where the animals are. We were exceptionally lucky – our group was only fifteen minutes inside the park boundary.

We set off onto the slopes of bamboo thickets, but the walking was easy; the sun skipped among the clouds, dappling the forest with numerous greens, and the earth gave out that unmistakable rainforest smell of damp lushness.

We barely had time to appreciate our surroundings before John stopped and whispered that we were near the gorillas. He reminded us to keep our voices low and to avoid sudden movements. Then we pushed through a curtain of vegetation and found ourselves a few metres from an enormous silverback.

For a few seconds we stared at each other, the imperious gorilla chief and his puny human visitors. My response was unexpected (to me) but apparently common – tears flooded into my eyes. However much you have been anticipating your first sight of a wild gorilla, nothing prepares you for the surge of emotion.

This is a mammal thing, the direct stare. With predators such as lion it sends a chill down your spine, with prey animals you feel protective, but with a gorilla you are dealing with an equal; intelligence meets intelligence. There is no wildlife experience like it – believe me. Evolution has enabled us to read faces as well as words. We look into a stranger's eyes to judge whether he is friendly or hostile. And what do we read in a gorilla's eyes? Trust, mainly; curiosity and sometimes nonchalance, but not hostility. A male silverback is built like a killer (he can weigh 200kg), yet here he is squatting on his haunches eating wild celery.

Satisfied that his audience was properly assembled, he rolled onto his back and glanced into the bushes. A small black figure burst out of the shrubbery and flung himself onto his father’s huge sofa-like chest. Dad reached forward and pulled the youngster towards him, an arm as thick as a tree trunk gently holding the infant while he nuzzled his neck and ears.

The playful four-year-old broke away to indulge in his favourite game – climbing on and somersaulting off his father’s belly. Occasionally the silverback grabbed him for another kiss and cuddle. Then a younger sibling arrived and wanted to play too. There was a tangle of limbs, as father couldn’t resist enfolding both infants in his arms. When he sat up they found a new, even better game. Dad’s broad grey back made an excellent slide if you clambered up to the level area between his shoulders. One after the other they climbed up, slid down, climbed up again...

We were so engrossed that we almost missed the smallest baby of all, only a month old, who suckled her mother at the edge of the clearing. Every now and then we caught sight of that wizened, surprised little face which is characteristic of all young apes, or a tiny foot as mum turned her for grooming.

As the gorillas continued to flaunt their parenting skills I used my binoculars to pick out the details: huge hands which looked as though they were wearing furry black fingerless gloves; chipped fingernails, callused knuckles. I looked at the ears, so familiarly shaped, and at eyes that gazed back with such intelligence that I looked away uneasily, not wishing to be rude. Some features are just like ours, but others – such as mouths and shoulders – are utterly different. Thank goodness: I needed this difference to avoid feeling like a voyeur.

The time that humans spend with gorillas is limited so the animals never become stressed. After an hour, we left the scene quietly to let the family continue their day’s activity, with all the time in the world for socialising, for play – and for love. I think it is the recognition of this endangered Eden which makes a visit to the gorillas such an emotional experience.

Have you seen the gorillas?
Some say looking a gorilla in the eye is the most intimate and rewarding wildlife experience on the planet. Do you agree? If you’ve seen the gorillas, we’d love to hear how you felt. Email your account to venturemag@kumuka.com and we'll publish it in Venture or online at www.kumuka.com

Gorilla facts

• It is widely known that the future of the mountain gorilla is far from secure. Kumuka supports the Dian Fossey organisation and our visits help to maintain the park infrastructure and its network of rangers.
• Mountain gorillas were first identified as a distinct gorilla species 100 years ago.
• They are found only in the Virunga Mountains, straddling the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• In the late 1960s Dian Fossey estimated there were 250 mountain gorillas surviving – it is now thought there are around 700.
• The main threats facing mountain gorillas are loss of habitat through human encroachment, poaching and accidental injuries in snares.
• In the early 1980s it was decided to fund the conservation of mountain gorillas by selling tracking permits to western visitors. This seems to be working.

How to watch a gorilla...
Gorillas are very susceptible to human illnesses. If you are feeling unwell or carrying a contagious disease, volunteer to stay behind. An alternate visit will be arranged if possible. If you are found to be unwell during the trek, your guide will cancel your visit with no refund. Here's some top tips on etiquette when you're among the gorillas:

• Wash your hands before heading out.
• Stay in a tight group and keep your voices down during your visit and until you are 200m away from the gorillas. • Do not eat, drink or leave rubbish: crumbs, litter and drips can all spread disease.
• If you need to cough or sneeze near the gorillas, turn your head away and cover your face in order to minimise the spread of germs.
• Keep a minimum of seven metres from the gorillas and never try to touch them. This is to protect them from human diseases and for your safety.
• Gorillas are wild animals and can sometimes charge. If this happens, crouch down slowly, do not look the gorillas directly in the eyes and wait for them to pass. Don’t try to take pictures and don’t run away. Running away will increase the danger.
• Flash photography is forbidden. When taking pictures move slowly and carefully. Point-and-shoot cameras are inadvisable as there is very little light in the forest and the flash may go off inadvertently.
• The maximum time you can spend with the gorillas is one hour. However, if they become agitated or nervous, the guide will finish the visit early.
• The number of people in each tracking party is usually restricted to eight people per day (or six if the gorilla group is small). The minimum age for participants is 15.

KUMUKA’S GORILLAS
You will have the opportunity to come eye to eye with mountain gorillas on seven of the 28 tours we operate across sub-Saharan Africa.
These range from our 63-day Best of Africa epic to the following 18-day Gorillas and Game itinerary, which also includes visits to villages and rafting the Nile (optional).

GORILLAS AND GAME

• Days 1-3 Nairobi – Lake Nakuru – Eldoret
• Days 4-7 Jinja – Kampala – Masaka – Mbarara Kibake
• Days 8-11 Lake Bunyonyi – Gorilla Trek (optional)
• Days 12-14 Kampala – Eldoret
• Days 15-18 Naivasha – Masai Mara – Nairobi

FLIGHTCHECK:
We offer flights to £385 return.

Note: Gorilla trekking is optional. Permits cost US$400 per person and have to be booked well in advance (permits are limited and are subject to availability)