Gorillas part 2

We do monthly health checks each gorilla group in the park. That means we each go check on a group 2 times/week. Thursday was my first experience doing a health check -I might have mentioned last time that the gorillas were amazing, but I thought I'd give you a little better idea of how the day went! Jean-Felix is the Rwandan veterinarian on our team. We went together to visit Group 13 with Eric as our tracker - he's been tracking this group for over a year and knows each gorilla well. Trackers are hired by the park service to literally keep track of every gorilla group, and they each visit their assigned group daily. With only 350 gorillas in the park it is soooo important to know the health status of every individual.

So here's how the day started - up at 5:30 and on the road by 6am. We have to get to the group before the tourists so we don't bother tourist experience. I was so excited that I didn't sleep much the night before! I figure I'm in relatively good shape, but I requested to go to one of the closer groups for my first time. I haven't adjusted to the altitude yet, and well, I'm a little chubby these days... Eric tells us (well, he tells Jean-Felix because he speaks only Kinyarwandan) that the group was in the crater yesterday (this sounds exciting to me - it did not occur to me that "crater" means much climbing...). We drive over very bumpy roads through little villages (kids still smiling and waiving and saying Bonjour Mzungu!) and finally come to our parking spot between two trees at the side of the "road". I've got my backpack with rain-gear, extra jacket, camera, binocs and water. Jean-Felix says I should give it to our porter Joseph, but I think I should carry it myself. In the end I give it to Joseph because it seems that is the convention.

We start walking through cultivated fields on a gradual uphill slope, and after about 20 minutes I am totally winded, but I try not to let on. We walk another 10 minutes and make it to the border of the Park de Volcanos. I get a drink of water and drink really slowly, trying to catch my breath without acting tired. I don't think they buy it, but they are kind and don't laugh at me. Now the fun starts. As soon as we scramble over a 4 foot rock wall marking the park boundry, we are enveloped in vegetation. The air is close, the smells are musty. There is a path, used by trackers and tourists, but also used by animals. The slope is now close to 45 degrees, and it is muddy and rocky. I'm watching my feet closely so I don't fall - then I see these HUGE, deep footprints. I recognize them easily, but am still amazed when the tracker confirms my suspicion - Tembo. Elephant. I'm seeing wild elephant foot prints that are less than a week old. I guess I really am in Africa, and I'm speechless.

We continue to move up the slope until we reach what looks like a impasse to me. A very, very steep, rocky hill thick with trees, bushes, nettles and thorny ferns. Eric the tracker stops and looks and listens - he now thinks the group has gone over the edge of this "hill" down into an old volcanic crater. So we climb on. I stop at one point to check my heart rate - 180. Sweat is pouring down my face and I feel a little dizzy, but I trudge on (much more slowly than my Rwandan partners on this trip). Now I know why we use Joseph the porter... We walk for another 45 minutes, up and down the ravine, and then Eric stops and says we're here. My legs are trembling uncontrollably and my breath is coming in rasps, but I made it! The gorillas are about 100 meters up the ravine from us. I don't hear or see any signs of them...I have so much to learn. Jean-Felix, Eric and I proceed up the slope - I'm last - through a long tunnel of vegetation. As I poke my head out of the top of the tunnel I turn to my left and there is Agashya. The silverback. The adult male gorilla who leads this group. He is surrounded by 3 playing youngsters 2-3 years old, and several adult female gorillas. The scene is peaceful. The sounds of contentment and chewing, and smells of gorilla perspiration are so familiar to me from my days as a gorilla keeper. They barely notice us. Jean-Felix is already busy at work looking at every individual he can see and discussing who is who with Eric. I am sitting there slack-jawed, looking at the gorillas who are all around us. We spend 90 minutes with the group, trying to see as many individuals as we can, which is surprisingly difficult with the thick vegetation and steep slope. We manage to see all but 3 of the 26 group members, including a 6 month old baby! Everything we see is recorded to be entered into medical records when we get back. I guess I really am in Africa. Working as a veterinarian for endangered Mountain Gorillas.

The "walk" back was rough for me, but I was euphoric. I asked Jean-Felix when we got to the truck if he considered this an easy or moderate walk as I peeled off my muddy rain-gear and slicked back my sweat soaked hair. Of course he said it was easy. I'm in trouble.

Here are some photos to give you a sneak preview. I'm supposed to put gorilla content on the gorilladoctors.org blog, but until it is up and running I just have to show you some of what I've seen! Jean-Felix is in the front, and Eric behind him. And just a couple of our charges. Believe it or not I didn't get any good photos of Agashya - still figuring out my camera - but I promise better photos soon!