| After a night at Mt Gorilla Nest lodge, it was a | | | | group or even move with them. Eventually he left |
| breaking day light on the 15th Saturday of | | | | the bush and sat in the path behind us. We |
| December when a Led a Gorilla tour of 4 people | | | | moved aside to let it join the others but all in vain. |
| from Abacus African Vacations. A cold gentle | | | | He could move behind us and whenever we could |
| wind blew over Ruhengeri town, facing the | | | | stop, he could stop as well so the rangers told us |
| Virunga Volcanoes. It is here that the where main | | | | that he was trying to show the Silver backs that |
| Rwanda tourism offices are located so I handed in | | | | he too could lead and he wanted to make sure |
| the Gorilla permits the group I led that was | | | | that all was well. But later he joined his family. |
| supposed to track Gorillas in Perc Des National | | | | Four one hour, we watched infants playing on this |
| Volcans. In our itinerary we were to Visit both | | | | mothers' bellies as the juveniles were |
| Uganda and Rwanda Gorilla National Parks. | | | | somersaulting. Finally, it was time to retrace our |
| After interactions between the tourists, permit | | | | paths back as we had three hours of climbing |
| issuing officers, determining who is in the right | | | | again...…… |
| condition for the most difficult trek and briefing | | | | Not even the drenching rain that poured halfway |
| about regulations from the ranger guides, the long | | | | into our journey back could dampen our spirits. It |
| awaited adventure commenced. | | | | was a memory I would never forget! |
| Since we had opted to trek the Susa group which | | | | Rwanda has eight groups of gorillas. Each group |
| is referred to as the furthest family in Perc des | | | | has a strict social structure based on age, |
| National Volcans , which was referred to as the | | | | indicated by how a young one will check out of an |
| farthest and most difficult to find, we felt the rain | | | | eating point, playing space or sleeping area in. a |
| was doing us a favour by making them dormant. | | | | particular area for the elder. Five groups are the |
| We trekked through the thick vegetation, which | | | | ones typically seen during trekking. These are |
| the rain made rationally impassable. Several times | | | | identified differently according to the numbers |
| the wet, slippery grass saw many of the trackers | | | | that constitute a group. Sabinyo group has 11, |
| slipping and sliding, with some holding on to trees | | | | Sussa has 39 after the death of a baby gorilla on |
| for support. After persevering for 6 hours, hiking | | | | January 12th, Amahoro has 14, Umubano has 8 |
| several metres over 3500, the ranger guides | | | | and group number 13 includes 17gorillas. |
| advised that we had to sit only to find that we | | | | Though most times tourists desire to track Susa |
| were completely surrounded by the group. The | | | | because of its large gorilla composition, Francis |
| rangers grunted to guarantee that the silverbacks | | | | says numbers do not mean a thing. |
| were friendly and as a sign of acknowledgement | | | | Each family of gorillas is peculiar for instance; one |
| of friendliness, the silverbacks grunted in return. In | | | | group may have most playful children or an easy |
| effect, the rangers were conversing with the | | | | to interact with silverback, another biggest |
| gorillas. With gorillas sitting all around and the | | | | silverback among other behaviors that make |
| babies swinging playfully in' the low trees and one | | | | tracking each group an exclusive experience. |
| playful baby holding on to a tourist's shoes, the | | | | Nevertheless, seeing a particular group very much |
| one-hour view of the wider nasal cavity, broad | | | | depends on where it is that day as gorillas are |
| chest, black shaggy hair with silverback males | | | | always on the move in search of food and |
| striking a contrast, we were amazed. It was a | | | | safety. |
| truly exhilarating experience and something I will | | | | By high merit of their habitat, Francis added, |
| remember for the rest of my life. | | | | gorillas do not ~ have many predators. Apart |
| We later transferred to Gorilla resort Camp in | | | | from the buffaloes, golden monkeys and |
| Bwindi where we experienced the Virungas in | | | | elephants that share and live in synchronization |
| Uganda. Our tour guides briefed us about what | | | | with the gorillas in lower altitudes, gorillas live in |
| we had to do the next day. The next morning, | | | | cold conditions which other animals cannot stand, |
| we assembled at the starting point ready to go | | | | providing them a monopoly of the mountain areas. |
| and track the Habinyanja Group. We started the | | | | Francis explained that they are able to live in such |
| walks but as others followed Wildlife rangers led | | | | cold conditions because of their black colour |
| the group as we began to file down the weather | | | | pigment. "The black colour helps to attract and |
| beaten path on a very steep hill that was | | | | trap heat in the high altitudes of the mountains |
| covered with thick bushes, tall trees, and a few | | | | and at the same time makes gorillas less |
| banana plants. A heavy down pour the previous | | | | susceptible to heat stroke as they love sun |
| night had left the path so slippery and most of | | | | bathing. Gorillas in this region can live up to 45 |
| the ladies were screaming for help as we were | | | | years with the silverbacks weighing about 200kg |
| sliding and rolling on our bottoms down the steep | | | | and females between 80 to 120kg." |
| slopes though it wasn't smooth sailing for the | | | | The diet of mountain gorillas largely consists of |
| guys either as one kept on falling when my hiking | | | | shrubbery. |
| boots failed to stick in the mud and sent me | | | | The writers aim of getting involved in the gorilla |
| sprawling down the hill. Sweating, swearing with | | | | tracking was also to study and analyse the diets |
| groans of Fatigue, we continued given the cheer | | | | of the Mountain gorilla and the constituents. She |
| of the anticipation of the now looming encounter | | | | found out that Gorilla food constitutes of over 50 |
| with the gorilla-Uganda's most popular attraction! | | | | different plants, whose leaves, shoots and stems |
| An hour after the walk, we came across some | | | | are eaten. For shoots, the gorillas benefit from |
| mud and wattle houses surrounded by Banana | | | | mainly the rainy season mountain bamboos, when |
| gardens, pawpaw trees and passion fruits plants. | | | | green and still tender, eaten with trocatea plants. |
| Women and children abandoned their chores and | | | | The writer noticed that because the bamboo |
| starred at us. Some of us talked to them as a | | | | shoots are 84% water, the extra trocatea, tsile's |
| few of them were yelling at the whites we were | | | | leaves, celery's stem without the tree bark, |
| tracking with saying-Muzungu a Swahili word that | | | | young bamboo leaves, stems, urela cameronesis' |
| means the white man. We were given a five | | | | leaves and stem bark, flowers and roots, and dry |
| minutes break before we proceeded which we | | | | season black berries grown on high altitude, |
| used to take water and take off jackets. . One | | | | provides a nutritious delicacy. Plus the bark of |
| of the guides Chris informed us that the hard part | | | | eucalyptus trees is also eaten especially by |
| was yet to begin from the point where we were | | | | Ssusas of Rwanda, the largest gorilla group, for |
| standing so he advised that we had to proceed | | | | medicinal purposes. The male dominant gorilla also |
| without out bags or any luggage we felt was | | | | known as the silverback is particularly skilled in his |
| heavy to ensure the fact that we were light. We | | | | knowledge of herbal plants and it is known that |
| reached a certain point and the guide told us that | | | | when one of his group members fall sick, the |
| the gorillas had been there a few hours ago. He | | | | silverback will often lead the group to another |
| spoke on his Radio Call and spoke to his | | | | sector of the park to find a particular herb and |
| colleagues. | | | | hearten the sick member of the group to eat it. |
| Faster we moved only stopping to wait for those | | | | The writer learnt that Eating also depends on the |
| we had been waiting for that had relaxed to | | | | prevailing situation in a group and the weather. |
| catch their breath. Closer the gorillas got as we | | | | Normally gorillas have three intervals of rest |
| could see a few of them sitting majestically and | | | | between each feeding, which amounts to 40% of |
| motionless in tree branches watching us. This was | | | | their total time per day. However, if they have |
| a signal that our efforts and determinations were | | | | migrated in an area that has plenty of food, they |
| about to pay off. We crossed a small river in one | | | | will feed and then rest for longer periods |
| lip. So exhausted and excited, we crouched down | | | | compared to times and movement into a sector |
| and crowled closer to the gorillas in a total silence. | | | | of limited food availability. In addition, if it's raining |
| Finally they came closer in a full view of Gorillas - | | | | heavily they become dormant; active again when |
| over 20 of them –a mind-boggling sight! Two | | | | it stops. |
| silver-backs sitting next to each other at the head | | | | After getting pleasure from the larking about of |
| of the group while other huddled together closely | | | | the young gorillas and the sheer size of the male, |
| behind in silent stares as our ranger grunted to | | | | with the one hour view apparent like 15 minutes, |
| make them move closer. The bigger silver backs | | | | we headed back down the mountain to a hot |
| suddenly stood on fours and stiffened as one of | | | | coffee and a well-earned rest. |
| the gorillas named Africa refused to sit with the | | | | |