ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS: GORILLAS IN THE MIST
Walking in the footsteps of Sir David Attenborough and Dian Fossey for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Photo Credit: (c) T J Allen Art
There was a slight jostling of rapid movement as we stood amongst the jungle-like vegetation after trekking up part of the Virunga National Park mountain range. Our small group of 8 tourists, accompanied by specialist gorilla guides and trackers, were preparing to approach the ‘Hirwa’ gorilla family when all the commotion started.
‘Hey, watch out!’
‘Quick, step back!’
Little had I expected that my first sighting of an endangered mountain gorilla in the wild would be a complete surprise and within inches of me. All that was missing was the pantomime catch phrase: ‘She’s behind you!’. Somehow one of the larger females had found herself separated from the family that was further ahead and we barely had time to take a step to the side as she bawled her way through the middle of our group; strong, dominant and self-assured . . . we deftly parted like the Red Sea!
WOW! My jaw literally dropped to the floor, I looked in astonishment at my colleague, Kat. ‘Oh My God!’ I mouthed silently with restrained excitement, my eyes wide and glittering with awe. The female had passed within an arm’s length of us all and once clear of the group she sat down amongst the forest undergrowth and looked back at us. I made a conscious effort to try and absorb the moment with my own eyes but couldn’t hold back from grabbing my camera.
The Hidden Secret
As she settled down it became clear that in the crook of her arm was a pair of brightly shining, wondrous little eyes, peeping out amongst crinkled, tufty hair . . . . yes, she had a little baby.
My heart beamed.
What a beautiful sight and moment to witness. Her thick, chubby fingers, so human-like, yet pumped out to Michelin-man sized proportions, were surprisingly tender and dextrous as she delicately preened the little one as if wanting to show off her beautiful offspring. The maternal bond was strikingly evident and I couldn’t wait to be introduced to more family members.
The Real King of the Jungle
Few people have spent time stood within metres of a wild silverback and I still pinch myself at the memories. His size was phenomenal; a mass of power and broad physical presence. Relaxed and unphased by the semi-circle of spectators observing him, his downward gaze was solely interested in meticulously striping back shoots to eat. This enormous bulk with pudgy hands deftly grabbing stems and using his teeth to crack them open for the inner delicacies was quite simply fascinating to watch. Observing his body language and behaviour made me feel instantly at ease and his lack of interest in us made me feel comfortable that we weren’t intruding.
Youthful Charm
The infants brought with them a sense of playfulness, boundless energy and unashamed naivety and there were countless similarities to human siblings; play fighting, chasing each other, rolling all over the ground. The mischief and youthful antics were enchanting. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Watching the quintessential image of a young gorilla swinging about in a poor representation of a tree (the trunk was barely three inches in diameter topped off with a meagre spray of little branches) was captivating and hilarious . . . especially when one of the branches buckled and snapped under its weight, leaving the youngster no option but to plop to the ground and learn one of many lessons for the day. The icing on the cake was witnessing one of the infants banging his fists on his puny chest in an adorable mimic of what would become utterly terrifying if replicated in his adult prime.
A New World
Something that struck me during the experience was the lack of ground! We were amongst dense vegetation taller than my head, treading precariously on a bed of vines and shoots that covered a slightly muddy underlay (Gorillas in the Mist says it all in terms of imagining the climate and atmosphere). Some sections of our climb were past giant, super-sized nettles, ten times the size of their British relatives. The natural trip hazards and moistened inclines were keen to catch out anyone with an unsure footing and the guides were fantastic at lending a solid and supportive hand. It was only through the gorillas moving around and trampling down the jungle foliage that organic clearings were made to provide better views of the family. It was certainly an immersive experience.
Memories For A Lifetime
The hour flew by far too quickly, but I felt grateful and honoured to have enjoyed 60 precious minutes with these magnificent and rare creatures. At such candid close quarters, it was startling to see how incredibly human they appear in some of their features and characteristics. The encounter was everything I could have dreamed of wanting to see from a family of gorillas in the wild.
I wrote in my diary ‘Utterly magical. One of the best experiences of my life’.
I couldn’t put it any better than that.
Photo Credits: (c) T J Allen Art
Gorilla Trekking Facts
20 gorilla families live within Rwanda’s mountain range
10 families are observed for research and 10 are tracked for tourism
Expensive permits must be obtained to visit the gorillas
Group sizes are limited to 8 people per gorilla family
Visit times are limited to 1 hour
Gorillas aren't territorial. Families move all around the mountain range so the trek can be a challenge
Conservation and protection are at the heart of the tourism trade
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is the largest and longest-running organisation dedicated to gorilla conservation.
gorillafund.org/