After an absence of several days the chimpanzee re-appeared with considerable commotion yesterday evening, much to my delight, as I had feared that I may go my final week here without a sighting of my fascinating study subjects.
The evening of the chimpanzees’ return proved to be a very exciting one, as it was a large group that was spotted close to camp and it appeared to signal the fusion of many previously isolated fractions. Reunions between chimpanzees are typically eventful and often violent, as old dominance relationships are forcibly re-established and that evening was no exception.
A crescendo of screams and hoots emerged from the forest as the fractions reunited, prompting me to hurriedly return to the trails that I have scoured with no success earlier that day. It was definitely worth putting back on damp socks and mud-caked clothing and returning to the forest, as the few hours that I thus gained with the chimpanzees proved to be truly exhilarating.
I had not previously seen the chimpanzees so numerous or so animated, and so it was with wide eyes and a racing pulse that I watched them career through the branches overhead – chasing after each other, aggressively displaying and screaming wildly.
The hysteria gradually died down as darkness descended, and before long the chimpanzees began searching for suitable spots to make a nest for the night. It was the closest I had yet been able to observe the evening bed-making ritual and so I watched fascinated as several chimpanzees constructed their leafy nests above me. I felt hugely grateful to be able to be a spectator to such interesting behaviour, even if it did mean being ravaged by the swarms of bloodthirsty mosquitoes that emerged with the arrival of dusk.
Knowledge of the nest locations for the chimpanzee group meant an especially early start this morning, as we hoped to be stationed close to the nests well before the chimpanzees began to rise.
After a 5:30am alarm call and a hurried breakfast we headed into the eerie darkness of the forest and inched along slowly and carefully along the trail by torchlight – taking in the decidedly different noises and atmosphere of the pre-sunrise forest. We soon came to the nesting site and settled down to take notes on the vocalisations beginning to emanate from the scattered beds.
As the rays of the rising sun proceeded to trickle through the canopy several dark figures slowly arose from their slumber and rolled out of their nests to sit silhouetted against the rapidly-brightening sky on nearby branches. As the chimpanzees awoke it seemed that the excitement of the previous day’s reunion started afresh and a dawn chorus of excited hoots and screams began.
Sadly we were not able to spend long with these chimpanzees today, as the arrival of a collection of noisy tourists caused the group to fragment and hurriedly scatter in many directions and our attempts to relocated its members were ultimately in vain.
However, disappointing as the untimely loss of our chimpanzee subjects may have been, I would definitely consider the effort of prising myself from my warm bed so early this morning worth it, especially as it may well my last chimpanzee encounter of the trip. Being able to sit and watch the chimpanzees above me as they emerged from their leafy beds and rose to face the new day was a wonderful experience and certainly worth leaving my own bed half an hour earlier for!
After a 5:30am alarm call and a hurried breakfast we headed into the eerie darkness of the forest and inched along slowly and carefully along the trail by torchlight – taking in the decidedly different noises and atmosphere of the pre-sunrise forest. We soon came to the nesting site and settled down to take notes on the vocalisations beginning to emanate from the scattered beds.
As the rays of the rising sun proceeded to trickle through the canopy several dark figures slowly arose from their slumber and rolled out of their nests to sit silhouetted against the rapidly-brightening sky on nearby branches. As the chimpanzees awoke it seemed that the excitement of the previous day’s reunion started afresh and a dawn chorus of excited hoots and screams began.
Sadly we were not able to spend long with these chimpanzees today, as the arrival of a collection of noisy tourists caused the group to fragment and hurriedly scatter in many directions and our attempts to relocated its members were ultimately in vain.
However, disappointing as the untimely loss of our chimpanzee subjects may have been, I would definitely consider the effort of prising myself from my warm bed so early this morning worth it, especially as it may well my last chimpanzee encounter of the trip. Being able to sit and watch the chimpanzees above me as they emerged from their leafy beds and rose to face the new day was a wonderful experience and certainly worth leaving my own bed half an hour earlier for!
Written on Friday 10th September
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