Postcard From The Bush: - Chimpanzee Trek

Chimpanzee's and their Incredible Personalities

Virunga National Park is getting back to normal after a terrible period of instability that saw Hutu rebels taking refuge here.  We're traveling with armed rangers just to be on the safe side.  I'm confident that we'll be fine.  In our work as guides we are evaluating risky situations all the time and making calls about safety—our clients' and our own.                         
                                                                             

As normality returns, the extraordinary potential of this place is opening up. I've just been to visit the park's chimpanzees.  This is something that's only been possible since January.

We had to trek a few hours with volcanic rock underfoot to find the chimps. There's always something unsettling about seeing chimpanzees in the wild.  They are so uncannily human, in both good and bad ways.  Each seems to have a recognizable personality.

As you watch a group, you can see how hard they work to manipulate each other, by grooming, or making presents of food, or even outright dishonesty.  I've seen baby chimps pretending to be scared of visitors in order to get their mother's attention.

What's most impressive is the feeling that behind their eyes, there are amazing thought processes going on. They're trying to make sense of their world.

       
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