Gorilla Information; Mountain and Lowland Gorilla Facts

Gorillas Information – An Introduction

Gorillas (Gorilla) are the largest of the great apes, a family group known as Pongidea which includes chimpanzees (Pan) and orangutans (Pongo). These species are our closest mammal relatives and are grouped with us into the super family Hominoidea.


It is now almost universally accepted that chimpanzees are our closest living relative; next in line are the gorillas whilst orang-utans are only remotely related to both other species and us.
Genome research over the last few years has shown that the genetic material (DNA code) of apes is identical to that of humans to a very large degree. Differences are especially small in the nuclear DNA. Certain genes that were analyzed differ by only 1.2% between humans and chimpanzees, by 1.6% between humans and gorillas and by 1.8% between gorillas and chimpanzees (In mitochondrial DNA, which changes considerably faster, geneticists found a difference in 8.8% between humans and chimpanzees, 10.3% between humans and gorillas). In essence we share around 98.8% of the same genome as chimpanzees and 98.4% with that of gorillas.
For this very reason the study of both chimpanzees and gorillas has been seen as a way to understand and gain an insight into ourselves and our own evolution. The field of primatology began to flower in the 1950s and 1960s, when an interest in the study of great apes in the wild merged. Studies of the great apes in the field and in captivity asked and answered numerous questions regarding their behaviour, learning ability, ecology, evolution, cognition and communication. All of which have confirmed that they are very much like humans, they even go through many of the same aging processes and suffer from many of the same age-related disorders.

As David Attenborough once said, 'There is more meaning in exchanging glances with a gorilla than with any other animal I know.'


The Gorilla Family


Traditionally, all gorillas were classified as one species, Gorilla gorilla, with three subspecies. A few years ago, experts decided to separate this classification into two species: eastern and western gorillas and they recognize four subspecies.
· The western gorilla - divided into:


o the western lowland gorilla (Gorilla g. gorilla) which is found in West Africa
o the Cross River Gorillas (Gorilla g. diehli) found in a region on the Nigerian/Cameroonian border
· The eastern gorilla - divided into:


o the mountain gorilla (Gorilla b. beringei) that lives on the Virunga Volcanoes and in the Bwindi forest, Uganda.
o the Grauer's gorilla or eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) found in the eastern forest of Democratic Republic of Congo.
Portraits of silverback males (from left to right): western lowland gorilla, Grauer's gorilla (Kahuzi-Biega), Virunga gorilla, Bwindi gorillaPhotos courtesy of the Gorilla Journal: Jörg Hess, Bernd Steinhauer-Burkart, Christoph Lübbert, Andreas Obst
Externally, the species differ in several characteristics.

Western Gorillas:



The nose of the western gorillas is much broader than in the eastern populations. They have a sleeker coat and this has grey or brownish tinge in both males and females, with their head hair often having red tones. The crest and nape hair of adult males has a striking chestnut colour. The western adult male’s saddle of silvery/white hair often extends to its hips and upper thighs and grades more into their body hair.

Eastern Gorillas:


The eastern species is usually deep black (apart from the silvery back of the males) with longer hair. This is particularly so of the mountain gorillas of the Virungas which tend to have shorter arms and very long, silky hair, mainly on the arms. Adult male eastern gorillas have a more developed sagittal crest suggesting a more powerful jaw musculature.

Habits & Daily Activity

The primate land lubber - Gorillas are the most terrestrial of all the great apes spending approximately 90% of their time on the ground, although this does depend on the species. Western gorillas are known to be more inclined to climb trees than their eastern counter parts, particularly the mountain gorilla (due to their size, weight and diet). From field studies gorillas have been observed to spend between 5-20% of the day in trees, whereas chimpanzees spend 47-61% of the day above the ground and orang-utans almost 100%. Nevertheless, gorillas do like to climb in order to play or to harvest fruit. They almost always climb quadrupedally and only very rarely brachiate, or jump from branch to branch. Silverback males don't often move above the ground because of their great weight but even they will climb high into fruiting trees if the branches can carry them. On the ground gorillas are quadrupeds and move on all fours, knuckle walking but they can stand upright for short periods. At Mbeli Bai (Republic of Congo) certain females have been observed to use sticks to aid them wade through water, the first observed tool use amongst gorillas; a truly remarkable discovery.

All gorillas are primarily vegetarians, although they will eat some insects (termites) as well mineral soil. Like humans, gorillas have a single non-fermenting stomach which is less efficient at digesting vegetation than the multi-chambered stomachs of colobus monkeys and hoofed ruminants (hence they have a rather bulbous paunch and can be conspicuously gaseous!). Consequently gorillas are fairly sedentary in comparison to other primates and spend much of their day light hours feeding or at rest.

Relaxed Routine - Since mountain gorillas have been studied considerably longer than any other gorilla much more is know about their daily routine (the first research was initiated by George Schaller in the Late 1950s in the Virungas).

The daily routine of the mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes starts when they leave their sleeping sites as the sun rises at around 6 am, except when it is cold and overcast; they then often stay longer in their nests taking a lie-in. They spend the early morning foraging and then rest in late morning and around midday. In the afternoon they forage again before resting at night.

Mountain gorillas are said to spend approximately 30% of their time feeding, 30% of their time moving and foraging and the remaining 40% of their time resting. Social contacts occur mainly during their rest periods. Therefore the midday rest period is very important for the social life of the group, as this is the time when the animals interact with their companions and when the young gorillas can play without being interrupted.

It’s usually the silverback who dictates the daily routine of his family choosing foraging routes, places to feed and in the late afternoon he will typically move again to find a suitable place to spend the night. Each gorilla will make their own nest every night, except for infants who will sleep with their mothers until they are completely weaned between the age of 3-4 years, or when their mother has a new infant.

Vegetarian Gastronomes - What gorillas eat depends on what their habitat provides and on the time of the year. At first all gorillas were assumed to be strict vegetarians; however various field studies have observed deliberate and regular eating of insects, especially in western lowland gorillas (the first evidence of regular termite feeding by western lowland gorillas, in Gabon, was only published in 1983). Gorillas seem to prefer ants and termites, which are absent, or less abundant, in mountain areas. As a result of initially studying mountain gorillas in the Virungas, they were in general thought to mainly eat leaves and stems of herbs, vines and shrubs supplemented with shoots, bark and roots. This idea of the overwhelmingly ‘folivorous’ gorilla had to be changed when lowland gorillas appeared to include more fruits in their diet, these being much more available in lowland forests. As such western lowland gorillas eat significantly more fruit than their eastern cousins; however the Bwindi mountain gorillas do live in a more fruit-rich habitat and have been observed to take full advantage of this. Wherever available, gorillas of all ages will climb trees and shrubs to harvest fruits, even heavy weight silverbacks so long as the branches will bear their load.

The food range of the western gorillas is very broad: they eat the leaves, stems, fruits and piths of about 200 plant species; they are particularly fond of plants belonging to the ginger and arrowroot families as well as aquatic herbs (all rich in minerals and proteins). In addition they are known to eat invertebrates and soil rich in minerals. Outside of the fruiting seasons, western gorillas eat more fibrous vegetation including more shoots, young leaves, seeds and bark.

In contrast, the mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes have been recorded to eat 38 different plant species, of which only a handful of species form the main stay of their diet, including a straggly vine Galium, thistles, celery and nettles. Stinging nettles, berries and bamboo are also important seasonal food sources whilst roots, bark (eucalyptus is a prized), grubs, snails, dirt and dung are taken in small amounts possibly to compensate for dietary deficiencies.

Forest nomads or homemakers? - As mentioned already gorillas are considered relatively sedentary and live in groups, under the ever watchful eye of an indomitable adult silverback male. Gorilla group sizes normally range between 7 and 16 individuals, most being typically between 8 and 11.

On the whole gorilla groups consist of one dominant adult male (the silverback), several females (3 or 4) and their offspring (four or five). This simple harem-like arrangement describes almost all western gorilla groups, about 90% of eastern lowland gorilla groups and 60% of mountain gorilla groups. The balance is made up of all-male groups and multiple-male groups (usually related). Gorilla groups tend to have cordial but not necessarily strong social bonds, except those between mothers and infants (particularly when compared to chimpanzees).
Maturing offspring of either sex usually leave their natal group. Mature males (8-11 years) leave, either taking females with them, spending time in an all-male group or remaining solitary until they can establish a group of their own by attracting females. Sexually mature Females (at about 6-7) will transfer between groups, sometimes more than once, joining another group or a lone male. Harems can be taken over by another male, when a silverback dies or is deposed. In males, the separation process is slow: they spend more and more time on the edge of the group until they leave altogether. In contrast, a female leaves her group only if she encounters another male.

Gorillas have no mating season. Mating and births occur throughout the year. Female gorillas have a hormone cycle (similar to humans), which is usually 26-32 days long. They will come into season after raising their last youngster which can be between 3-6 years (4 years on average) but won’t usually have their first baby until 10 years old. The gestation period is 8.5 months. In general, gorilla babies are nursed for at least 2 years. At 4-6 months they start to put plant parts into their mouth to bite on them and they can start to walk quadrupedally at this age as well. At 8 months they regularly ingest solid food. At approximately 3 years they start to become independent because their mother gives birth to the next baby. In spite of this, mother and older offspring maintain a strong relationship.


The home ranges of various gorilla groups and of lone silverback males tend to overlap, so encounters are frequent. Lone males often make a special effort to seek out harem groups, as this is their only chance to gain females. The leaders of stable harem groups avoid contact with other adult males in order to avoid losing females. If they detect a competitor, they try to drive him away by displaying with vocalisations and chest-beats or by attacking the intruder which can be quite violent.

Gorillas do not occupy discrete territories and do not defend these areas against other gorilla groups. Instead, they roam in so-called home ranges and where food sources are widely dispersed, these home ranges tend to be larger. The more members a group has, the further the group has to roam and the bigger is the home range. Among primates there is a strong relationship between diet and their foraging behaviour. Those that feed on high energy foods (such as fruit) that vary seasonally, in variety and distribution tend to have greater day ranges compared to those feeding on lower quality but more consistently available foods.
Gorilla home ranges comprise of several vegetation zones which are seasonally exploited. Western gorilla home ranges typically exceed 20km2 where as the typical home range for the Virunga mountain gorillas is 5-11km2. Fruit is more widely available in western gorilla ranges which accounts for their great home ranges and a more mobile lifestyle. In Bwindi home ranges are between 20-40km2 which also reflects a higher availability of seasonal fruit and their gorillas preference to travel for preferred foods.
As for how much they travel each day, well this does vary. Western gorillas travel about 3 km per day in fruiting months and 2 km per day when they are feeding on foliage etc. On the other hand mountain gorillas on average move less than 1 km per day and rarely more than 2 km.


Vital Statistics


Weight:

Males 140-200 kg (300-440 lbs)
Females 70-100 kg (150-250 lbs)
Height:
Males 1.4-1.85m (55-73 inches)
Females upto 1.5 m (60 inches)
Estimated Life span: No exact data on the maximum age of free-ranging gorillas is available, as animals in the wild have only been observed since 1967. On average they probably reach 40-45 years. The oldest gorilla to have lived in a zoo died at 55 years.

Uganda Gorilla Safari, Chimpanzees and Game - Jan 2009

Uganda Gorilla Safari, Rwanda Gorilla Safari and Chimpanzees and Game - Jan 2009



Monday 12 Jan 2009

I had a manic morning in the office to make sure everything was sorted before I left on my Gorilla Safari to Africa. I was really excited as it had been 6 years since I was last in Uganda and Rwanda so it was going to be interesting to see how things had changed. I flew with Kenyan Airways via Nairobi which was a comfortable flight with good in flight entertainment.

Tuesday 13 Jan 2009

I arrived into Nairobi where I had to wait for my connecting flight to Entebbe. Nairobi airport was very hectic and nobody seemed to know what was happening – I eventually boarded the correct flight to Entebbe.

I arrived into Entebbe airport, sailed through immigration and customs before meeting Moses who was to be our driver on the tour. I changed up some money so that I had some local Shillings in my pocket as we would be going to some far off places with no money changing facilities.

After I visited a couple of the hotels in the area I was taken to our first campsite which is a private site on the edge of Lake Victoria – My African Safari had begun. I met the other people who had booked onto the trip and then had a lovely lunch whilst watching the pied kingfishers fishing for theirs.

After lunch we had a visit to Ngamba Island planned and so we all set off to the jetty. Ngamba Island is an island sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees that have been rescued from the illegal pet trade and have now been brought to this forested island where they have free roam. I was here 6 years ago and so it was good to see some “old” friends again.

Wednesday 14 Jan 2009

After our first of many early breakfasts we set off for Fort Portal and Kibale Forest National Park. This would be a 6 hour drive past farms, villages, forests and tea plantations which was a good introduction to local Ugandan life. Fort Portal is a lovely old town set close to the Ruwenzori Mountains, and was a good place for us to stop and have a cool drink before heading to our campsite. The campsites used on this trip are often locally owned, which means all proceeds go directly back into the village (this is essential to World Primate Safaris ethics), thus putting a value on the local wildlife and forests. That evening we all sat around the campfire thinking about the adventures to come.

Thursday 15 Jan 2009

Our chimpanzee tracking permits had been booked for the afternoon so we had the morning free to explore the local village.

After lunch we headed to the park headquarters for our chimpanzee briefing before heading into the forest to track them. As we headed out we could hear them off in the distance which then gave us a beacon to aim at. As we got closer they got more excited and the screams got even louder, we were really close. Not long after this we got our first glimpse of the chimpanzees as they moved through the forest; they were only a few meters away from us, but still were quite difficult to see in the thick trees. We watched as a mother and baby moved along the path closely followed by a large male and then a number of other youngsters.

They are adapted to live in this thick forest and so we soon lost them as they moved on with ease. We continued in their direction and eventually caught up as they had stopped to play in the trees. A young male, his mother and baby brother had come across a wire snare set to catch forest pigs. The youngster was very fortunate not to get his hand caught in the wire noose.

They soon moved off, but took the wire with them and dropped it further down the path. We all thought our time with the chimps was up until we saw a single female walking slowly in front of us along the path which eventually led us to the rest of the group. Tracking chimpanzees is quite difficult as they always seem to be on the move so we were happy with our glimpses of our close relatives. Our tracking ended with the group high in a fig tree enjoying the plentiful fruits – we left them in peace.

We still had a long drive to get to the Mweya section of the Queen Elizabeth National Park so as soon as we had finished with the chimps we got on our way. As we neared the park we started to see herds of Ugandan Kob, DeFassa waterbuck and buffalo. As we turned onto the dirt road we saw a nice herd of elephants fairly close to the road – this was a great sight for the first time safari goers. Further along the road we saw a car that had stopped and the people looking hard into the grass. As we stopped we were told that there was a leopard hiding in the grass, but in my experience of leopard sightings I didn’t hold much hope on seeing her as the grass was about a meter tall – but I was wrong. We had a brief sighting of her tail, then she pounced giving us a better view. It was starting to get dark and after 10 minutes of nothing we decided to move off. Just as we started to move I spotted her peering out from behind a bush which brought us to a sudden stop.

She was only a young leopard and so was curious about the car, which brought her closer to investigate who we were – really close. We were all sitting on the roof of the vehicle to get a better view, but as she moved to sniff the front of our car we all ducked back into the cab for our own safety. She continued to walk along the road for about 15 minutes, pausing every now and then to make sure we were still following. When it was too dark for us to see her we left her to get on with her night.

Our campsite was beautiful, set on a ridge overlooking the Kazinga Channel. As we settled into our tents someone spotted some elephants off on the other side of the campsite. This made everyone very excited and nervous. Later that night we had the elephants come and investigate our camp, coming to within 5 meters of our tents, but after they had sniffed around a bit they soon moved off.

Friday and Saturday 16 and 17 Jan 2009

Over the next 2 days we would drive over 11 hours a day in search of lions. We heard them every night, saw signs of their kills and even had people a couple of minutes ahead of us see them, but for us that was it. We saw Ugandan Kob, DeFassa waterbuck, good herds of buffalo and elephant as well as numerous bird species, which kept us all enthralled. On Friday afternoon we had a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel which was a real highlight for all of us. For the entire 2 hours we had non stop game viewing, with elephants trumpeting and fighting, hippos charging the boat and buffalo unaware of our presence, just lazing in the shallows. The bird life was incredible with a number of water species spotted including the impressive saddle billed stork and African fish eagle.

Sunday 18 Jan 2009

After another early morning on our African Safari, we set off to a different area of the Queen Elizabeth National Park – Kyambura Gorge. This is an impressive deep gorge in the usually flat savannah, and is home to a troop of about 20 chimpanzees as well as elephant, leopard and hippos. As we descended into the gorge it felt like we were entering a little Eden. My scepticism of elephant and hippos living down in the steep sided gorge was soon banished as we saw fresh footprints in the mud and then not long afterwards we saw a pod of hippos lying in a shallow pool in the river.

It was about an hour of hot humid hiking through the muddy paths until we heard the chimpanzees in the trees. As we got closer they moved off to the higher reaches of the gorge where the fruiting trees were. Again we thought our chimpanzee viewing had come to an end until someone in our group spotted a mother, her baby and another youngster moving down a tree on the other side of the river. It took us awhile to get across, as the bridge was further down stream, and by the time we had located where we had seen them, they had moved off.

Ishasha is another part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, but is very rarely visited. It is famous for its tree climbing lions, but only receives a handful of visitors, and this made it even more appealing to us. It is a beautiful part of the park with large open savannah, riverine valleys and large fig trees. Our campsite was set on a small ridge overlooking a large plain where we could see buffalo and kob grazing.

Monday 19 Jan 2009

Again we put in over 11 hours worth of game drives in search of the elusive tree climbing lions, but our luck was out for this one. We searched every fig tree, which is their preferred resting place, but there was nothing except vervet monkeys taking advantage of the lack of lions.

For me Ishasha was a real highlight, as there were very few tourists (in the 3 days we were there, we saw 1 group leaving as we arrived, 1 group whilst out on a game drive and 1 group coming in as we were leaving) and the game viewing was superb. We saw some lovely herds of elephants (we even got mock charged by a female that we had surprised), good herds of Ugandan kob, healthy herds of buffalo and large herds of topi. Unfortunately the area had been burnt which meant there was very little grass for the animals to eat and so many of them had moved off to a different area and this had caused a knock on effect with the lions as they had no food to eat either and so had followed the antelope.

We were on our way back to camp after our last game drive, everyone was tired and had moved to the comfort of the cab, when Joel, our guide, shouted leopard – I have never seen people move so fast. Everyone was back up on the roof looking at a female leopard as she surveyed her territory, crossing the road in front of us, which caused a family of warthogs to flee from their underground burrows (which was under the road we were on, giving all of us the fright of our lives). As she walked, the kob were coming closer to her whistling to let her know that she had been seen, but this didn’t affect her as she walked sniffing the area, making sure there were no intruders. As it got dark we left her to go about her nightly wanderings.

Tuesday 20 Jan 2009

We had 1 last game drive enroute to Buhoma, but again, no luck with the lions; we would need to return to see the tree climbing lions of Ishasha. We arrived into Buhoma late in the afternoon and so we relaxed in camp and enjoyed a “Club” beer whilst looking onto the hills of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – home to some of the last mountain gorillas left in the world.

Wednesday 21 Jan 2009

The day we had all been waiting for – gorilla tracking day. We were split into different groups as the permits had been bought at different times. I would be tracking the Mubare group, which is the same group I tracked 6 years ago – I wonder if they would recognise me? We started our trek by hiking straight up the side of the hill (over 300 meters straight up) before traversing the ridge. It was then that we heard our trackers had located the group. This made it easier for us and so now we could go straight to them. It was another several hours of walking through the thick forest before we came to where they were.

They were all feeding on the side of the hill, and as soon as we came round the corner we were charged by a mother and her baby, she was just warning us to keep our distance. After she moved off we sat and watched a young male gorilla as he sat and fed on grasses that he had found, but soon he moved off as well. Our guide motioned to us to move forward as the silverback gorilla was sitting just out of view. As we moved we could see his huge head behind some bushes and it was only then that we realised we were in the middle of the family. We had the silverback to one side, a young male in a tree in front of us, a mother and her baby sliding down a tree to our right and another youngster to our left – WOW.

We sat and enjoyed their company and watched as they allowed us to witness their lives for an hour. This is truly one of the best experiences of my life. When they look at you, you can see them thinking and there is a small connection; something you have to experience.

In situations like that 1 hour goes so quickly, but we have to leave them and let them get on with their daily lives, we have intruded enough already.

As it turns out we were only an hour’s walk from our campsite, and so as we made our way down the hill I could see the rest of my group. I joined them on a village walk which was very informative as we learnt about the local medicine man, the tea plantations, how to make banana wine and much, much more.

WOW our gorilla safari had paid off. It took me 7 hours of hard trekking to see the gorillas, but it was well worth it.

Thursday 22 Jan 2009

We had another 6 hour drive ahead of us, but everyone was still excited about the previous day’s gorilla tracking. We were on our way to Lake Bunyonyi which is a scenic area of Uganda with rolling hills and a large fresh water lake.

That afternoon we all hired pirogues or dugout canoes and attempted to paddle around the lake. We all battled with the steering of the canoes and ended up going round in circles, so we opted to paddle to a nearby island and have a cold beer instead. What a way to end this amazing African Safari.

Friday 23 Jan 2009

Today our group split up with 3 of us heading to Rwanda and the rest heading back to Entebbe, it was a sad day for all. We had all got on really well and had experienced so much together in the short time we were on the trip, but we all had more exciting things planned for the next few days.

The three of us who went to Rwanda had a tour around the Genocide Memorial in Kigali, which was a real shock. How could people do that to each other? It is a great lesson to all of us, to see how Rwanda has rebuilt itself and has moved on from the atrocities that happened not too long ago. It was good to see that they are using it as an educational tool to make sure nothing like that happens again.


That afternoon we had the 2 ½ hour drive to Ruhengeri where we would spend the night. This was a lovely drive through rolling hills, streams, waterfalls and villages and as you get closer the Virunga Volcanoes start to come into view.

Saturday 24 Jan 2009

A very excited wake up call, we were off to track the gorillas again – this time in the Volcanoes National Park. I had heard that gorilla safaris in Rwanda were better than they were in Uganda, so now time would tell. After meeting the rest of our group we had our briefing and then set off to the start of our day’s trekking. This is a beautiful place to be walking with the volcanoes clearly in view and the villagers out tending their fields. Today’s trek was a lot easier as the terrain was flatter and the vegetation was more open, which made for a good days walk. We came across the group only a couple of hours in, but they were in a thick grove of bamboo which made me disappointed as we had to go in single file to start with. As we walked in, the gorillas were still in their nests from the night before and there was a female that was peering over at us – this was such an amazing experience to look into the eyes of one of our closest relatives.

We were told to stand back so that the trackers could clear a space for us so that we could see the silverback, who weighed about 220kg. There he was sitting on his nest feeding away. We were all watching him, when all of a sudden he stood up, banged his chest and dived over the edge of his nest away from us; this got all our hearts beating. We moved around the bushes to watch a young black-back gorilla as he was sleeping on the ground and allowed us all to get a good view of him. We were all seated watching him quietly when we heard the branches behind us crashing – as we turned the silverback came running out, not more than 1 meter from us, bringing us all to our feet. He stopped 2 meters away and just stood there. Our guide and tracker grunted to calm him down which seemed to do the trick. He soon calmed down and sat down and started to eat again. The poor black-back had been rudely woken and now just sat there not quite knowing what had happened.

As the silverback mountain gorilla moved off, so did we, to go and see some of the other family members. We saw a mother and her young baby climb down the tree and walk past us, we saw a young male sitting on his own feeding before he to, decided he wanted to move, which meant walking within a meter of us to get past. The way the family had interacted with us as we were part of the group was really amazing.

After our exciting day we had to head back to Kigali for our last night.

Sunday 25 Jan 2009

We had a long day ahead of us so we were up at 4am so that we could leave at 4.45am to get back to Entebbe by 5.00pm. The road was very bumpy so we couldn’t even sleep and so were sat rigid watching the potholes come and go!!!!!

We arrived back into Entebbe in good time; I even had time for something to eat and a game of football before heading to the airport for my return flight.

This had been one of my best African Safari Holidays for a long time and it was very difficult to get back on the plane to head back to the UK, knowing how cold, grey and wet it was.

GOING APE…..the challenges and rewards

GOING APE…..the challenges and rewards

Alan C. Wood…Genus Homo; Species Human, Homo sapiens


There is something inherently fascinating about apes; perhaps that is because we humans are members of the Family Hominidae, one of the four species of great ape, and have much in common with our closest relations in the animal world.

Trekking and tracking our cousins in the wild can be a tiring yet exhilarating experience, especially when you get those encounters where you can observe their features and behaviour, sometimes as they observe you right back.

We have tracked four of the six sub-species of great ape, the exceptions being Bonobo (Genus Pan, Species, Pan paniscus),the same family as chimpanzee, and Sumatran Orang-utan (Genus Pongo, Species Pongo abelii),close relative of its Borneo neighbour. Bonobo can be found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country, ironically, often made unsafe for travellers by us, the human apes; Sumatran orang-utans are found in dwindling numbers on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Chimpanzees: Genus Pan; Species, Pan troglodytes

Scientists say that DNA evidence reveals humans and chimpanzees are more closely related than are chimpanzees to orang-utans. Following these smart, elusive and quick moving apes through the forests of Uganda (Kyambura Gorge, Kibale Forest) and Rwanda can be testing of stamina and patience. They are mainly arboreal although you may be favoured with a sighting near to or on the ground. Our best encounter was at Kyambura Gorge where they came down onto the rocks; this was also a comparatively easy trek. Our toughest trek was going across the side of steep hills at Nyungwe in Rwanda to see no more that black blobs hidden fifty feet up in thick foliage. At Kibale Forest, home of many species of primates, the chimps played hide and seek, entertaining us for an hour before stopping on a fruiting tree and providing reasonable viewing.

Western (Lowland) Gorilla: Genus gorilla; Species, Gorilla beringei

Sighting wild lowland gorilla involves flying, driving, boating and trekking into the heart of the Dark Continent, a real adventure to rarely visited places. In the Congo and the Central African Republic you can track habituated gorillas with good probability of a sighting; in Gabon and the Congo, the other method is a daily trek from base camp to a Wildlife Conservation Society viewing platform. You remain on the platform for the day observing whatever turns up in the Bai, a natural clearing in the forest frequented by an assortment of animals in search of minerals, water and luscious grazing. The more days you remain the higher your probability becomes of seeing gorillas in a Bai; spend four, preferably, five nights if you can. As luck would have it, a gorilla family visited Langoue Bai the day before we got there; however we were favoured with a couple of engrossing hours with a solitary male, as well as with lots of elephant, forest buffalo and sitatunga.

Mountain Gorilla: Genus Gorilla; Species, Gorilla gorilla

If you remain free of human viruses that can be passed on to the gorillas, and you can make the trek at five to six thousand feet, you are virtually certain to sit with the mountain gorilla. This entails several hours walking up hill at a gentle pace, ducking and weaving between shrubs and bamboos, and stopping periodically to rest. The gorillas make nests each night and the trackers know where to find them next day. Usually mountain gorillas do not move more than a kilometre a day from their nesting place, which is the point you set out for on your morning start. We have had good meetings with the gorilla in the Bwindi Forest in Uganda and even better ones with their neighbours on the slopes of the Virungas in Rwanda where most of the treks are, arguably, less arduous than in the Bwindi. With luck you meet up with your quarry whilst they are having their mid-day siesta. Sitting near their feet waiting for them to awaken is a special privilege. Usually the youngsters are the most lively, engaging in play whilst juveniles of both sexes and mature females get on with grooming one another. The silverback, family leader, is never too far away, often making a salad lunch in his hand of various leaves of the forest.

Borneo Orang-utan: Genus Pongo; Species, Pongo pygmaeus

The challenge looking for orang-utan by the rivers and in the forests of Malaysia and Indonesia is coping with the heat and humidity, easier by boat than on land. Fortunately in Sabah, you are never too far away from your lodge, a shower and a change of clothes, and the outings are typically only for two to three hours at a time. Despite impressions you may have formed from seeing orang-utan on the ground in films, rescue centres and zoos, these forest ‘people’ spend their entire lives in trees. The mature males only come to ground occasionally to mate; otherwise these largely solitary creatures are to be found aloft. This means a lot of craning of necks and peering up to see shapes outlined against the sky. The best sightings are achieved in fruiting trees like figs and durian, the exotic, ‘stinky’ fruit of the region. Fortunately orang-utans are relatively lazy compared to chimps; they can get up late from their nests, forage for fruit, return to the nest for a nap or nestle in the boughs of trees. So a good way of improving the probability of viewing them is to get your guide to start in the morning where the orang-utan nested the night before; not as certain a method as with lowland gorilla but more probable than searching at random.

There is nothing to match the awe and humility you feel when visiting with a family of mountain gorillas; at least not until you fall under the spell of their lowland cousins. Then again how do you compare the impish cleverness of the chimpanzee with the beguiling features of the orang-utan, each face different, distinct and, goodness me, almost human….impossible comparisons. My personal favourite is…….the one I am with at the time.
Alan Wood went to Africa to track gorilla with www.worldprimatesafaris.com

Madagascar Wildlife Vacation

Shaun's Recce to Madagascar - September 2008

After reading and hearing so much about Madagascar I couldn’t wait to experience this unique countries wildlife and people first hand.

I arrived into Antananarivo late on the 3 September 2008 after a long and tiring flight. It was nice to have a welcoming face waiting for me at the airport. I was taken to the Hotel Sakamanga which is a clean and comfortable mid range hotel with some interesting artefacts lining the passages.

After a hearty breakfast I was driven the 3 hours to the Andasibe Special Reserve which is home to the largest lemur species – the indri-indri. I stayed at the Hotel Feon Ny Ala which are clean and comfortable A-frame bungalows that have fantastic views of the forest. I visited the nearby Vakona lodge which has a “lemur island” and crocodile park where visitors can get a closer look at several species of lemurs as well as some rather large crocodiles (not together though!!!!!!). This was my first encounter with lemurs and it was a wonderful introduction to these amusing primates. As I knelt down to take some photos I had a brown lemur jump on my shoulder like a parrot. These cute and inquisitive animals follow you around the island trying to get one more piece of banana before scampering off. There are brown lemurs, bamboo lemurs, black and white ruffed lemurs and a diademed sifaka on the island. After the lemurs I made my way to the crocodile enclosure which has several large lakes which are home to a number of crocodiles. They also have fossa, a tree boa as well as a host of birds.

Later that afternoon as I sat on the terrace of the Feon Ny Ala listening to the birds and sounds of the forest I knew I was back in Africa. I met up with my guide later that night to go on a night walk which is always exciting as you see the animals that are usually sleeping during the day. It is also easier to spot the chameleons and leaf tailed geckos. I saw several mouse lemurs, parson’s chameleons, tiny frogs and the invisible leaf tailed gecko all with the sounds of Madagascan Scops Owls calling in the background.

Andasibe is famous for the indri-indri which is a large black and white teady bear looking lemur which lives in small family groups. Their sounds travel up to 3km through the forest as they communicate to each other. On our morning walk we could hear several families calling each other but we had to work hard to finally see them. We came across a family of 6 (with a young baby) all calling out. This was an amazing experience to be amongst these remarkable animals as they call to each other.

Andasibe is not only about the indri-indri and during my 4 hours in the forest we saw the beautiful diademed sifaka, brown lemurs, bamboo lemurs, scops owls, chameleons and a jungle full of birds. What a way to start my Madagascar adventure. This is quite a popular park and there are several lodges in the area including the new Grace Lodge and Eulophiella lodge.

I headed back to Antananarivo arriving quite late that evening not giving me the opportunity to explore this colourful city. I stayed at the Radama hotel which is centrally located with a nice restaurant on the ground floor.

Another early start to get the charter flight to Anjajavy at 8am – this was something I was really looking forward to. The flight takes you directly north over the highlands towards the coast. As you start to descend you look out the window and search for any signs of life or a lodge, but with no luck. As the pilot banks over the sea he starts to descend quite quickly at which point I started to panic as I still cannot see an airport!!!! The ground is rushing up very quickly when all of a sudden I see what we were aiming for; a small red piece of earth with a small thatched hut alongside it. We were here – Anjajavy International Airport!!!!

A small welcoming party is there to meet us with a damp face cloth to wipe the nervous look off our faces. Daniel the manager was there to greet us and inform us that we were in a new time zone – Anjajavy time – which is 1 hour ahead, giving us more light in the evening. During the 20 minute drive from the airfield to the lodge we see several family troops of coquerel sifakas feeding and playing in the trees. The vegetation gives me the feeling of being on mainland Africa. It is dry, hot and sandy, I almost expect to see elephant, zebra and other large animals around the next corner – but of course that was only in the movie.

Anjajavy is a wonderful lodge set along the Mozambique Channel with 7 private white sandy beaches. The lodge can only be reached by private charter plane and with a maximum of 60 guests you will always be able to find a beach to yourself. There are several walks through the reserve you can do on your own (you can have a local guide accompany you if you want) as well as organised walks and excursion that you can sign up for. This is the type of place you can do as much or as little as you want. I did the “Crique en Crique” walk which takes you along the coast to the different coves and beaches ending on a white sandy beach 1km in length (and there was NOBODY on it) it then curves round through the mangrove swamps back to the lodge. I saw iguanas, brown lemurs and coquerel sifakas during the 4 hour walk. This is a wonderful amble to do as you can stop and swim in the warm sea from any of the deserted beaches.

At 5pm every evening the staff set up “tea in the oasis” which is a fantastic way to meet fellow guests including the brown lemurs and sifakas that come to feed on the green trees. The staff at the lodge do not feed or interact with the wildlife in any way and let them get on with their natural lives.

The next morning I went on the Anjajavy village visit along with most of the other guests at the lodge. Being a Sunday meant it was market day which is always an exciting time to visit an African village. The villagers were so open and friendly with us we all felt part of the “family”. The lodge helps support the village by installing a water pump, a medical clinic and helping fund the local school as well as employing most of the staff.

That afternoon I went on an organised walk through the Tsingy Garden which is an amazing sight hidden behind hills and set almost in a natural amphitheatre. Every 2 weeks the area floods when the tide is high turning it into a mangrove swamp. I also went on a night walk which was extremely interesting as we saw giant land crabs, sportive lemurs, mouse lemurs, chameleons and scops owl.

On my last day at Anjajavy I took to the water on an organised motorboat excursion to Moramba Bay which takes you up the coast past large tsingy islands and coast line which are home to several large baobabs and also the extremely rare Madagascar fish eagle. The dramatic tsingy islands rising up out of the turquoise sea with large baobabs growing on the rocks is something everyone needs to see. We landed on a small sandy beach and walked a short distance to a sacred baobab which is said to be several hundred years old. The local tribe sacrifice zebu here to ask for protection against hurricanes and storms.

On returning to the lodge I thought I deserved a siesta before dinner, but as I was drifting off I heard some banging on my balcony. This upset me as I was really looking forward to having a quick nap and now I was being woken up by someone. I sat up to see who was disturbing me only to see the local sifaka family using my balcony as a thoroughfare. This put a smile on my face and made me realise I was in their home. At 2.30 every day the sifakas start to move into the area slowly making their way to oasis by 5pm just in time to watch the tourists.

The food is cooked by a French trained chef who uses the local produce to come up with some tasty dishes. There is even an in-house baker who bakes all the morning pastries onsite.

Even though I was on my own I always had company as the staff were so friendly and welcoming. We were even invited to play football with them one afternoon which was great fun.

After an early breakfast I was driven back to the airstrip where I boarded the plane for Nosy Be. The 50 minute flight up the coast was great as I got to see rugged coast line right through to the tropical island of Nosy Be. From the airport I was taken to my hotel on the western side of the island, on the Ambatoloaka coast which is a small fishing village on a long golden beach. The sunset from there was amazing as the local fishermen sail their dhows in front of the beach. The sea is blue, the sand is golden and smiles are wide on this buzzing island.. The Royal Beach Hotel is based at the top of the beach offering great views from the restaurant of the local fishermen as they bring their daily catches onto the beach. The Vanila hotel is further up the coast and is set in a tropical garden with 2 swimming pools cascading towards the sea.

From there I went to the main town on the island, Hellville where I got the taxi-boat back to the mainland. This is an amazing 45 minute trip as you skim over the coral reefs between the many islands that are in the bay. I was met at the port in Ankify and had a look at 2 of the hotels on the hill. The Baobab hotel has several rondavals with a large restaurant overlooking the bay. Dauphin Bleu was a little further along the coast and based out of an old grand colonial house. All the chalets have amazing views over the bay and about 12 dolphins are reported to swim past the lodge every morning.

After a 2 or 3 hour drive through cacao, ylang ylang and coffee plantations you reach Ankarana Special Reserve. I arrived late in the afternoon but had time for a quick walk to see the bat cave and small tsingy that make this area famous. We saw some crowned and brown lemurs close to the campsite which is also visited by the fossa during the months of November and December. As we neared the cave the bats were just starting to make their way out into the night’s sky. Watching the sunset over the tsingy was an amazing sight and it inspired me to wake up at 4am the next morning to get to the grand tsingy to watch the sunrise. Mornings are always an amazing time to be walking through the bush as the birds and animals start to wake. The sounds are incredible. Again we saw crowned and brown lemurs as well as the Ankarana Sportive Lemur.

As the sun rose over the tsingy the colours started to change and the jaggered rock formations started to come into view. It was only then that I saw the expanse of limestone pinnacles and spikes disappearing off into the distance. As we were walking back along the swing bridge 2 troops of crowned lemurs were having a dispute over their territory.

Making it back into camp in time for breakfast was perfect as I was starving after our early morning exploration. We set off in the car continuing north for 45 minutes on the well paved road only to turn off it onto what can only be described as a bicycle track. We were heading off into an area very few tourists make the effort to see. It took us about an hour to drive 20km along the track only knowing where we were going because we could see our end destination. We arrived in a small village at the end of the track, all dusty and sore from the bumps. Two guys came out of their huts to greet us; one of them was carrying a radio tracker. They were to be my local guides as we searched for the extremely rare and endangered Perrier’s Sifaka which is reported to be in the top 25 of the most endangered primates in the world. There is a national park where you can see these jet black sifakas, but that is a days drive away and the chance of seeing them is quite slim. I was visiting a FANABY owned corridor where 18 individuals are divided into 5 family units. FANABY have trained some of the villagers to monitor and track 2 of the families using the radio tracking equipment.

After about 30 - 45 minutes we came across a family unit that were feeding in the trees. My guides sat down and let me follow the family as they moved through the trees. I saw a baby that was barely 3 months old. I sat and observed them by myself for about 45 minutes before my guides came in search of me. This was an amazing experience to see these remarkable primates in their natural habitat and to not have to fight other tourists for the best view.

Another hour along the bumpy dusty road brought us back onto the main road and after another 2 hours we were at the Nature Lodge in Joffreville close to the entrance to the Amber Mountain Reserve. Even though Ankarana and Amber Mountain are fairly close together they offer 2 very different experiences as Ankarana is a drier park whereas Amber Mountain is very lush with tree fern and several endemic plant, reptile and bird life with waterfalls and several crater lakes. This is a very visitor friendly park allowing people to drive to most of the main sites.

Nature Lodge offers panoramic views to the bays, islands and Diego-Suarez below making it ideal to relax whilst drinking a Three Horse Beer. Before I flew back to Tana I had a quick walk around the town and its large central market.

I overnighted in Tana before driving east towards the Pangalanes Canals. After about a 5 hour drive I arrived on the shores of a large lake. It was quite a weird moment as I seemed to be in the middle of nowhere when all of a sudden someone called my name. I looked round and there was someone from the lodge waiting to show me to the boat. This was a nice transfer taking me through villages and fishing traps before arriving at Bushhouse lodge. This is a nice place to relax during your Madagascan holiday. You can sit and relax on the white sandy beaches or go swimming in the crystal clear fresh water lake. Across the lake from Bushhouse is another lodge called Palmarium which has its own reserve with a selection of lemurs from around the country. As you sit in the gardens drinking your tea or coffee the lemurs will be jumping above your head. I went on a short guided walk through the reserve which is very interesting as you find out more about the plants, birds, lemurs, chameleons, snakes and frogs that are found in the area. One highlight was meeting the indri-indri family that live in the forest. It was very cute watching the young baby exploring away from its mother for the first time, only to dive into her arms at the first movement he wasn’t sure of.

I had to overnight in Tamatave to get the early morning flight to Maroantsetra. As we came in to land at Maroantsetra the staff had to scare the zebu off the runway. As we were taxing to the airport building I could see all the villagers had come out to see this daily spectacle. When you get into the airport building you make your way to the “baggage reclaim” which consists of a concrete barrier with a small room behind it. The trolley with all the bags then arrives into the room and that’s when the excitement begins. They start calling out the bag numbers and holding bags in the air and as soon as you see your bag you claim it, fight your way through the crowd and then barge way back out again – great fun.

Relais du Masoala is a lovely little hotel; set back from the beach behind some coconut trees. From the hotel and the beach you can see Nosy Mangabe in the bay. I went on a short boat ride along some of the rivers and past some villages that are almost on the water. They grow rice, have chickens and rely on fishing – what a life.

Another early morning departure, this time to get the 2 – 3 hour boat transfer across to the Masoala Peninsular. The wind had been blowing all night so the sea wasn’t the smoothest in the world and so we were given rain jackets to protect us from the soaking we were about to endure. You go quite close to Nosy Mangabe which is a large mountain top island covered in thick rainforest surrounded by rocks except for a small beach on the inside side of the island. This is where there is a small campsite where people can camp allowing them to do walks in search of the abundant wildlife.

From mid June to mid September the humpbacked whales come into the bay to have their calves. I was really lucky to see 2 stragglers as they made their way to Ile Saint Marie. The Masoala Forest Lodge is set in a sheltered bay behind the tree line in an old cinnamon and pineapple plantation and consists of 5 safari style tents on wooden platforms all with ensuite bathrooms. Meals are eaten together which is great way to get to know the other guests in the camp. Sandra and Pierre who own the lodge are there to look after you and help with anything you may need. You are appointed a guide for your stay giving you the freedom to choose your activities and when you want to do them. When I arrived I went for a walk along the beach to explore all the empty coves and beaches. This is a stunning coast line with thick green rainforest lining golden beaches scattered with black volcanic rocks and an emerald green sea. Every time I rounded a corner I had to take more photos as each bay offers a new sight.

This is a fantastic place for birds, in particular the helmet vanga which is a brown/red and black bird with a large blue bill. The lemur that you come here to see is the red ruffed lemur which can only be found in these forests. We saw a troop on my second day there as they fed in the upper branches of the tall trees. That afternoon I went for a canoe along the coast and this has to be one of the highlights of my trip. We saw a turtle surface quite close to the canoe and then as we got close to the beach we saw 2 ring tailed mongooses running along the shore. They stopped to fight or mate almost being washed away by a freak wave. We drifted with the waves until we were quite close and watched them for about 5 minutes before they ran into the forest in different directions. We then pulled the canoes into a quiet bay that can only be reached by boat and went and sat on the rocks to watch the sunset. As we were talking I noticed some whales in the distance so we quickly jumped back into the canoes so that we could get a closer look. Four of them were quite far out but 2 of them were swimming very close to the shore so we paddled ahead of them and waited for them to come past us. This was an extremely rare and exciting privilege to see these large mammals like that. On our way back to camp we found ourselves in amongst a fish feeding frenzy which made me alittle nervous as I couldn’t see into the water to see what was causing the commotion.

That night as I stepped out of my safari tent I was stopped in my tracks by the night sky above me. The stars were like nothing I have ever seen before, the sheer density was amazing.

My transfer back to Maroantsetra, the next day was a lot smoother and quicker and we lucky enough to see 2 dolphins swimming close to the boat. That afternoon I had a flight from Maroantsetra back to Tana.

The next day I walked around the large market in the centre of town and also visited the botanical gardens and zoo. I was very disappointed with the state of the zoo. Many of the cages were empty and when they had animals in they were too large for the cage they were in.

I had lunch at the Palissandre hotel which has a terrace that overlooks the city; this is something that I highly recommend to anyone that does a Madagascar safari.

Overall I was extremely impressed with the whole experience. The Malagasy people are so friendly, happy and welcoming which makes travelling in their country very rewarding. The wildlife is amazing and although there are no large animals like on the main land, it all about the unique smaller things that make your Madagascan holiday such a unique experience. I cannot wait to go back and see what else I can discover.

Tanzania Wildlife Safari - Serengeti and Singita

When Will suggested that I should head back to Tanzania in November 2007 to visit a few lodges in the Serengeti I was glad to be going back to my old stomping ground. He then mentioned; ‘may be it would be a good idea to check out the Singita Grumeti Reserves whilst you’re there’. I couldn’t agree more knowing that Singita ran the fabulous Ebony Lodge in the Sabi Sands Reserve, South Africa as well as a clutch of other distinguished lodges. I knew I might be in for a real treat.

Upon arriving in Arusha I headed for the Arusha Coffee Lodge, a delightful place set in, as its name suggests, the grounds of a coffee plantation (Tanzania’s largest) and conveniently close to the Arusha airstrip. After a restful night’s sleep in their luxuriant plantation cottage I set out to catch my early morning flight to the Sasakwa airstrip, right in the heart of the Singita Grumeti Reserves.

Now the Singita Grumeti Reserves are located adjacent to the famed Western Corridor of the Serengeti National Park. Bordering the Serengeti the Grumeti Reserves encompass and extensive area of ‘unrivalled wilderness’. For once the marketing blurb does not do it justice. This area also forms part of the celebrated migration route, which is traveled by hundreds of thousands of gallivanting wildebeest and zebra every year.

My flight from Arusha took me north for a brief touch down at the Klein’s Camp airstrip and then leaving the Lobo Hills behind flying right across the northern sector of the Serengeti National Park. It was here, or there about, that I got my first glimpse of what at first appeared to be a ribbon like procession of ants on the ground below. It was only after starring in awe for a few moments did it dawn that what was unfolding below was the wonder that is the annual migration as the herds headed south again. Just a taste of things to come.

After touching down at the Sasakwa airstrip I was picked up my guide and host, Abdulluah. We then set off game viewing on the way to Sabora Tented Camp, one of the three luxurious lodges that Singita have created and manage in the Grumeti Reserves. Sabora is like no other tented camp I know or have stayed at. This was my first brush with luxury for a man of ‘canvas and camp beds’. Situated in the heart the grass plains, Sabora and its 6 tents are discreetly dotted over a slight rise with a few scattered acacias to provide shade. Guests can gaze ‘cheetah’ like over the surrounding plains and marvel at the wildlife about them.

The tents themselves are paired with a library and sitting room in between them. The interiors are fitted out in regal campaign style of the early 1900’s with wooden campaign furniture, tribal rugs, scatter cushions and adorned with antique curios. Imagine Edward and Mrs. Simpson on safari and you are just about there. There’s a viewing deck with your own spotting scope (in fact all the Singita lodges provide guests with a Swarovski scope to use – no expense spared!) and there are day beds nestled under shady acacias. My personal favorites for flamboyant luxury were the discreetly screen out-door showers and the tennis court that, judging by its appearance, was more often used by the zebra as a dust bath.

For my first evenings game drive we set out on to the plains to see what we could find. The beauty of the Singita Game Reserves is that off road driving is permitted to get that bit closer to any ‘significant’ sightings. So within a few minutes (OK x10) I was just a few metres away from 2 young male lions relaxing in the evening sunlight. After leisurely watching them for a while Abdulluah decided it was time to head off in a different direction. I was curious as to why our next stop was in the middle of the plains with not much about. As he jumped out of our open-sided 4x4 my curiosity turned to concern. After rummaging in the back of the vehicle for a moment he promptly returned to setup a minibar, on a fold-down table complete with maasai tablecloth. What a way to end the day, with a cool beer in one hand and a bag of nibbles in the other.
After a mornings game drive to see a hyenas den that pulsated with action, youngsters squabbling over the remains of a ‘Tommy’ kill, I set off with Abdullah to my second night’s stop at Sasakwa Lodge. Like a laird over looking its realm, Sasakwa Lodge is perched on top of Sasakwa Hill commanding fine views over the plains below. The grand central manor house hosts the dinning room, drawing room and bar, billiards room, garden room and a games room for the kids which is conveniently tucked away. Wide verandahs give way to sweeping lawns and an infinity swimming pool. Any one for a game of croquet! With 7 suites, well cottages for those used to more compact abodes, that range in size from 1-4 bedrooms and all offer a sitting room, dressing room, fires to keep any chill at bay and your own plunge pool overlooking the plains. A long with tennis courts, a gymnasium, equestrian centre and archery; Sasakwa is a very grand and stylish country club located in the heart of the wilderness, as the lions roaring at night will certainly remind you. Quite surreal!

For my next day’s game drive I opted to go in search of the rather rare and definitely elusive Patas Monkey (Erythrocebus patas). Abdullah and I set off on to the plains northeast of Sasakwa, area fragmented by Whistling Thorn (Acacia drepanolobium) the preferred habitat of these fascinating monkeys. They are also known as the military, Hussar or Sergeant-Major monkeys due to their facial whiskers and erect posture. Some have also described them as the superlative monkey, as ‘just about everything about them is bigger, faster and defies adjectives’. It is reputedly the worlds fastest primate, running at speeds of up to 55 kph on the tips of its fingers (digitigrady, rather than on the palms of its hands, palmi-grady). They live fast and die young with research from Kenya suggesting that females are sexually mature at the age of 3 years and, on average, die at the age of 4 years surviving just long enough to produce only two offspring. Although widespread across Africa they are relatively scarce in Tanzania. Despite all our efforts to find them I never even caught a glimpse of them. Nevertheless our efforts were not in vain as we were rewarded with witnessing well over 1000 wildebeest gallop past us across the plains and through the Whistling Thorns. Listening to the sound of their gnu grunts and drumming hooves was a barrage on my senses.

To end my time in the Singita Grumeti Reserves I stayed at the Faru Faru Lodge, its name derived from the Kswahili word for rhino. Faru Faru is built on a gently sloping hill overlooking a waterhole and the Grumeti river. When building the lodge its creators discovered the ruins of a small stone built settlement. Incorporating these elements in to some of the main lodge this idea was also incorporated into the style of its canvas and reed tented suites! All 6 of its spacious suites mix urban and safari chic based on the concept of a 1950’s botanist who discovers an ancient human settlement and sets up camp. Light and airy the suites are fitted out with white-washed wood and metal furnishings along with sketch books and colouring pens, just in case you feel inspired. A remote controlled full length window opens out to give delightful views of the river area below. Imagine sitting in bed watching a herd of elephants wander past your window or, my highlight, taking a shower outside as waterbuck pass by. Guests also have the opportunity to go on guided walking safaris in the Grumeti River area, just another added bonus.

Visiting the Singita Grumeti Reserves was a real pleasure and I was pleasantly surprised. Yes the lodges are fantastic, the ultimate in safari indulgence were the ever attentive staff make every effort to make your stay a very special one. In a very genteel way every guest is a VIP. This aside, what struck me most was the quality of the wildlife viewing. When the Grumeti Reserves concessions were first leased in 2002, the game population was seriously depleted, largely as a result of poor wildlife management. The Grumeti Fund, the non-profit arm of the Grumeti Reserves lodge management has achieved much in this area and I can testify that the game sightings that I saw in my short time there were much, much better than I had expected. All the usual suspects of the Serengeti eco-system can be seen in healthy numbers but the real bonus is that you have the feeling of having the plains and bush to your self (game drives are carefully coordinated to ensure that vehicles setting out from the lodges don’t just tail each other). Being the only vehicle at a fresh zebra kill was a treat in deed.

After my stay in the Grumeti Reserves, I was off to the Serengeti. I caught a flight for the short hop to the central Seronera area, were I would base myself. This is where my hard work was to start! I had a list of lodges and tented camps to see as long as my arm and the vastness of the Serengeti to cover in a few short days. It seemed as if I was to cover all the four points of the compass rose as I headed from Kleins Camp to Migration Camp, to the Grumeti River Camp, to Serena Lodge and to Ndutu Wildlife Lodge to name just a few. As I roomed across the Serengeti, with my guide and driver Godbless, I was once again struck by the sheer diversity of the Serengeti and how you can visit this amazing national park again and again and each time encounter something new and exciting. Every corner of its varying terrain and its ever changing seasons are able to offer a different safari experience.

In my view the Serengeti is a year round destination its just a matter of knowing what to expect and where to go. OK April and May can be a wash out! – although in 2007 by all accounts it just kept on raining after the so called ‘short rains’ in Nov/Dec and continued right on through from January until April time. To make the most of your time in the Serengeti should at least visit a couple of different areas to get the feel for this remarkable national park.

In the south, bordering the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are the short-grass plains. This area comes into its own in the ‘green season’ from January to March, just after the short rains (Nov/Dec). This is when the vast herds of wildebeest and zebra gather on the rich and fertile grasslands to feast on a crop of lush fresh growth. This is also when the wildebeest synchronize their birthing and up to 8000 wildebeest calves are born very morning during a 3 week spell in February. At this time of year Ndutu Lodge is an ideal base to set in to the short-grass plains.

Moving northwards you come to the long-grass plains with its kopjes scattered over the otherwise featureless expanse. With evocative names such as Simba, Gol and Moru kopjes, these rounded rocky outcrops are prominent island habits that provide convenient lookout posts for resident cheetah, lion and leopard, as well as a place to rest-up during the day. At the start of the dry season in May or June the long-grass plains become the assembling point for the great trek north of the migrating herds. Huge columns of wildebeest will gather and in single file to head north through the woodlands of the northern and western Serengeti and on to the Maasai Mara. The long-grass plains are also one of the best places to see cheetah particularly around the Gol kopjes area. This area is well serviced by a number of semi-nomadic camps and its also within stricking distance of the central Seronera region, so there are no shortage of quality lodges and camps to stay at; including the Serengeti Safari Camp, the Serena Lodge, the Serengeti Wilderness and a host of others.

The Western Corridor is the long arm of the Serengeti that stretches out towards Lake Victoria. This is an area of open plains, ranges of hills, patches of woodland and the Grumeti River which runs along the length of this corridor. The remote and secluded area is good for game viewing all year but between May and June the Western Corridor plays host to vast herd of wildebeest and zebra as they graze their way northwards on their annual migration. It is the famed crossing of the Grumeti River as the wildebeest run the gauntlet of snapping crocodiles that draws many people to the area. Sadly most are disappointed and don’t get to see this spectacle because the timing of any crossing is hugely unpredictable. This is no reason not to visit the Western Corridor as there is resident game all year round and a number of very good lodges to stay at, including the Grumeti River Camp, Kirawira Camp, Mbalageti and a host of other tented camps.

My stay in the Serengeti, was made very comfortable and the long hours on the road bearable by being able to return each night to the welcoming Serengeti Wilderness Camp. This ‘seasonal’ camp located in the heart of the Serengeti National Park is not pretentious but is a classic tented camp that offers simple comforts and pleasures. What more do you need than a comfy bed with fresh linen and a hot bush-shower to rinse away the Serengeti dust - I think I may have a thing about showers! To recount my adventures with the Godbless, Rajon and the other camp crew around the glowing embers of the fire was a delightful way to finish my Serengeti odyssey.

My thanks to Abdullah, Bjorn, Russel, Michelle, Steve, Olly, Godbless, Rajon, Alain and all staff at the Singita Grumeti Reserve Lodges and the Serengeti Wilderness Camp for making my stay in the Serengeti such an enjoyable one.

Mahale Chimpanzee Safari

Tanzania is blessed with an abundance of wildlife and host of national parks that draws visitors from around the globe to marvel at its spectacular showcase of living creatures. Visitors are spoilt for choice with evocative names such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Selous, Ruaha and so on. Yet on its western boundary there is an enchanting range of forested hills that descend down to the 600km ribbon of water, known as Lake Tangyika. The Mahale Mountains are a spectacular backdrop to the lake but aside from their imposing beauty it is home, like its fabled sister park Gombe Stream, to some truly remarkable beings and our closest relatives the chimpanzees.Back in November 2007 I had, much to Will’s envy, the pleasure of paying a visit to this out of the way corner of Tanzania which only receives a few keen visitors every year who come to see its habituated chimpanzees. As I would later reflect Mahale National Park is, in my view at least, a castaway paradise with the ultimate wildlife experience – close encounters of the ape kind (but I would say that!) Why more visitors don’t strike out this way I can’t fathom but for now for those lucky few who do it is a paradise to share with our cousins the chimpanzees of Mahale.My journey to Mahale started by boarding a Cessna Caravan at the Arusha airstrip. As we trundled down the bare earth runway and left the towering peak of Mount Meru behind I was Mahale bound but as I soon discovered from the pilot by a rather curious route. First stop Kleins Camp in the Northern Serengeti, then it was down to Tabora (central Tanzania) to refuel, next stop Katavi before finally heading northwest again for Lake Tanganyika and the Mahale Mountains National Park. No wonder it took 5 hours but I was travelling in the ‘green season’ when there are only a handful of travellers and it makes sense for charter flights to combine as many pick-ups and drop-offs as they can. Normally it’s a straight flight there with an exciting bush landing at Katavi to break the journey.My first glimpse of the Mahale Range was through broken cloud and I hardly had time to admire its green cloaked mountains before we started our descent to an unseen airstrip. As Lake Tanganiyka loomed ever larger directly in front of us we swooped over a few shambas (small farm holdings) before touching down just short of the shoreline. There had obviously been a recent down pour as the airstrip was somewhat water logged, so for a moment I thought I might end up having an early bath!My home for the next few days was to be Nomad’s intriguingly named ‘Greystoke’ Camp. After a warm welcome by some of the camp crew we set off by dhow on the final leg of this odyssey. Gliding over the clear waters of Lake Tangayika we headed south along its eastern shore, the dark forested and mysterious shoreline of the incongruously named Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peering on the not so distant horizon to the west. Passing the last village before the park a silver sheen carpeted its beach in patches. As I wondered what on earth it was Kabeth, our guide, explained that it was the sardine-sized fish locally known as Daga that the villagers had left out to dry. More like rot, by the smell of it, in this hot and humid air. Cruising ever southwards as I gazed in awe at the lush green hills that rose to jutting peaks (which I gather in the dry season take on more brown hues) I got a sense of why ‘Greystoke’ was so named. As after rounding a headland the camps grand and exotic castaway lodge came in to view. Then I was reminded of childhood memories of a certain British film, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novel Tarzan of the Apes. Well that’s my theory anyway.The Greystoke Camp is a barefoot luxury lodge perched on a white sandy beach with its curious dhow-wood bandas stretched in amongst the tree line. With the forested slopes of the Mahale Mountains rising behind it and Lake Tanganyika stretching out in front words can not really convey the magic and enchantment of the place. You just have to be there. There are other options for a very comfortable stay in the area but Greystoke does offer an easy going and very special castaway experience with the added bonus of being able to see Mahale’s famed chimpanzees.Mahale is about 200km south of Gombe the world renowned site of Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking research in to chimpanzees. Not long after she started her research at Gombe Prof. Toshisada Nishida from the Kyoto University in Japan came in 1965 to study the chimpanzees of Mahale. His legacy is the habituated and much researched (still on-going) group of eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii - recently re-classified as Pan t. marungensis).There are estimated to be over 1000 chimpanzees living wild in Mahale but it is the habituated ‘M group’ of almost 60 individual chimps that visitors have the privilege of coming to see. Each day the lucky few set out in the morning to trek and find the roving chimps. Guided in by experienced trackers who set out beforehand you will hear them long before you see them. I certainly did. Hearing their hoots, screams, grunts and other vocalisations quickens your pace and the chase is one of eager excitement. I was fortunate to track them twice during my stay in Mahale and my second encounter was an experience I will cherish forever.My first sighting of the day was of Orion a 16 year old adult male wandering by himself before he selected a suitable tree to swiftly shimmy up. Sitting on a branch surrounded by lush vegetation he selected a croquet ball size fruit known locally as Isakama (Myrianthus arboreus). This was obviously a prised treat that he nosily munched on using his hands, teeth, lips, and feet to get at the juicy flesh underneath its pineapple like skin. After watching him for a while Sefu my guide tugged on my arm and said we should hurry to another part of the forest as he had just received news on the radio of a large gathering of chimps. As we scurried off to I could hear their ‘pant hoots’ and shrieks, tantalisingly close. Suddenly as we came to a small village green of a crossroad in the forest; there calmly grooming each other was a small knot of 3 chimpanzees.Pimu, Chritstina and Fanana who were soon joined by Alofu, Kalunde and Primus.As I watched in awe, Sefu quietly gave me a commentary on the names, status, relationships and characters of each of the chimps gathered before us. Pimu was the current alpha male. A brutish dictator by all accounts and he looked the part with a menacing and brooding look. Fanana was a previous alpha male who had recently return to the M community after a period of enforced exile. Christina a middle aged female was in oestrous and the cause of this gathering of powerful males. As I soon learnt Christina had been a favourite companion for Alofu, so was there still a special relationship between them? Although Alofu had been recently deposed as the alpha male by Pimu, he didn’t seem to submit to his authority in the customary manner by pant-hooting when they meet. Then in to the scene strolls Kalunde ‘The King-Maker’; always at the centre of chimpanzee politics and looking every bit the mandarin who is said to be ‘sharply intelligent, immoral but very successful’ in his Machiavellian style of making and break contenders and holders of the alpha male throne. Just sitting in the wings was Primus the young (only 16 years old) and popular (with other members of the M community) contender to the top spot. This calm and collected youngster didn’t even flinch when Pimu, in an outburst of rage, thrashed about the bushes threatening all around. Pimu’s display of raw aggression was certainly enough to trigger my flee response as I tried to remind myself that staying put and then backing away slowly was meant to be the best response! My time with the chimps of Mahale was over all too quickly but it was like being part of the audience for a trilling and dramatic TV Soap Opera, which left you longing to witness the next episode.There is a serious side to tracking the chimpanzees with strict rules and guidelines that visitors must follow. They have been devised to solely protect the chimpanzees, since the greatest threat to their health and existence is us! No more than 6 visitors are allowed to be in the vicinity of a group of chimpanzees at any onetime (a maximum of 3 groups of 6 people set out in to the forest in search of the chimps each day). The time spent with the chimps is also strictly limited to 1 hour, to minimise the impact on their normal daily behaviour. Visitors are also meant to keep at least 10 metres away from the chimps but seeing as the chimpanzees have previously been followed very closely (often in touching distance) this more difficult to adhere to. Yet it is this infringement of the 10m rule (a combination of researchers and visitors desire to get closer as well as the curious and confident nature the chimps themselves, especially young males) that potentially poses the greatest threat to their existence.Recent research has indicated that a series of increasingly frequent outbreaks of diseases in the chimp populations in both Gombe and Mahale may be the result of disease transmission between humans and the chimps. In June 2006 a respiratory disease affected the Mahale chimps and 13 died due to the disease which, most probably, came from people. These out breaks have tended to occur in June/July at the height of the visitor season it is believed that such outbreaks resulted in the M chimpanzee community decreasing from over 100 in 1988 to only 52 in 2006.Thankfully the park authorities in conjunction with the safari camps in Mahale are far more vigilant about human to chimp disease transmissions. As a result, along with more rigorous enforcement of the chimp viewing rules, visitors now have to wear face masks when they are near to the chimpanzees. Having donned my mask when I was trekking I hardly noticed it apart from my glasses steaming up every now and then – the excitement of it all! A small price to pay in my mind. I was also very encouraged to see that all the park guides, rangers and researchers were also all wearing masks. Hopefully such a simple precaution can help to ensure the survival of our forest cousins. The number of M group members is now back up to due to several recent births.My time in Mahale was brief but it really was a truly memorable experience. Aside from my close encounters with the chimps; Greystoke was a delightful place to unwind and relax. I even managed to squeeze in some snorkelling, kayaking and a spot of fishing. The thrill of reeling in your own catch of the day, even if it was just a tiddler which the camp crew then used to catch the big’uns, just added to the castaway feel. As I tasted our freshly catch kuhay (a local fish delicacy) prepared as the most delightful sashimi I had tasted I vowed to return.My heartfelt thanks must go to all the good people of Greystoke Camp and Mahale for such a memorable stay. In particular I would like to thank Doug, Magdalene, Jules, Safu (Safe), Kabeth and all the camp crew at Greystoke.Asante sana

Overseas Travel - A Primate Safari - Borneo

By James Fair - BBC Wildlife Magazine

Hey, it’s the monkeys...

The proboscis monkey has a big nose, an even bigger belly and a huge survival problem. James Fair travels to the world’s third largest island to find out whether primates could help to conserve its precious forests.

Most people have played that game where they fantasise about what animal they would like to be reincarnated as. Ooh, a dolphin, perhaps, splishing and splashing around in a coral atoll somewhere in the Caribbean; or a tiger – grrr! – sleeping all day and padding through a gilded forest as evening falls.
Well, having recently returned from Sabah, the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo, I can definitely cross one species off my list of future bodies to inhabit – the proboscis monkey.
Everything is stacked against it. First, nobody would call the proboscis monkey a beautiful animal. The male’s nose resembles a pair of testicles, and while the females are nasally compact in comparison, I knew as soon as I saw one that she reminded me of something, but I wasn’t sure what. On the third day, I twigged – it was the childcatcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. And the term ‘pot-bellied’ does not do justice to the size of their stomachs.
I’m sure proboscis monkeys are beautiful to each other, but it’s still something to consider when assessing your options, and anyway, there’s more. Their diet consists of nothing but leaves. Occasionally, they’re allowed a piece of fruit, but it must be an unripe, unsweet, tasteless piece of fruit. The odd seed is OK, but give a proboscis too many carbs and it swells up like an erupting volcano, overheats and dies.
Still, proboscis monkeys don’t know what they are missing, fruit-wise, so maybe this isn’t such a big deal either. No – the absolute clincher was something I read while relaxing in the library of the Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge one evening. In Proboscis Monkeys of Borneo, Elizabeth Bennett explains that the species lives in social groups, normally comprising females, their babies and juveniles, and one male. The
male stays at the centre of his harem, follows the females wherever they go and has sex with any that are receptive. Simple enough, you’d think. But no...
“The young proboscis monkeys frequently pull hard on the male’s upper leg, screaming all the while,” Bennett writes, “but a more successful tactic is to lean over the amorous couple from the front and try to tweak the male’s nose.” It is when I read stuff like this that I begin to doubt the theory of evolution. Just how interfering in the adults’ sex lives contributes to the survival of the species is beyond me.
That said, there’s something far more worrying about coming back as a proboscis monkey than the prospect of eating nothing but leaves and having your oversized hooter yanked every time you indulge in a bit of rumpy-pumpy, and that’s having no forest left in which to live. The island of Borneo, the species’ only home, is one of the powerhouses of the palm oil revolution, and its rainforest is being logged as fast as tubs of margarine, bars of soap and bottles of shampoo disappear off supermarket shelves.

KINABATANGAN JOURNEY
My journey through Sabah started when I left Sepilok Nature Reserve and its orangutan rehabilitation centre (not my thing, but go there if you have to see orangutans) for Sim Sim Water Village, a collection of dwellings and businesses built on a pier on the outskirts of Sandakan. From here, I travelled by boat along the coast and up the Kinabatangan (‘kin-a-bat-ang-an’) River on the way to the heart of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.
Much of the forest flanking the river has been logged at some point. Tall, spindly trees, signs of secondary growth, predominate, and from time to time I could see that behind the green wall there was nothing but grassy scrubland. At one point, I even passed a palm oil plantation. Two people I met who’d taken the road from Sandakan told me that what they’d seen was worse – just miles and miles of uninterrupted palm trees. I like to think that tourism could slow down the rate of conversion, but it’s far from proven.
Despite this gloomy prognosis, I can report that the wildlife around the Kinabatangan River merits your eco-dollars. Travelling upriver, I saw five orangutans, several groups of proboscis monkeys and some pygmy Asian elephants. One large male orangutan, 50 foot up a tree and with the look of a teenager contemplating the prospect of an evening in with his parents, let me gawp at him for 10 minutes before climbing halfway down the trunk and escaping into the tangled forest interior. I’d assumed I wouldn’t see any wild orangutans, so that was a real bonus.
The wildlife was even more prolific around the Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge. I saw no more orangutans, but there were proboscis monkeys almost everywhere I went, plus plenty of long-tailed macaques, several groups of silvered leaf monkeys and a palm civet. I even witnessed a fight between two large water monitors, dribbling as they grappled in the undergrowth.

INTO THE HEART OF BORNEO
In the late afternoons, the proboscis monkeys gathered near the water’s edge, having a last feed (yum, leaves again) before settling down for the night. Different groups sleep close to each other so that the females can size up other males – well, their noses at least – just in case they’re missing out on some top-class genes.
This, for me, was the best time of all – golden sunlight illuminating the lush green vegetation and the gingery-orange coats of the monkeys. In a reverie, I began to daydream that living among these peaceful animals wouldn’t be such a bad way to end up. I’d hoped to see one swimming – proboscis monkeys are good swimmers, I’d read, and have semi-webbed feet – and they sometimes paddle across the narrow rainforest tributaries rather than leap over them. Disappointingly, these monkeys didn’t even dip a toe in the water.
From Sukau, I travelled back down the Kinabatangan, flew to Kinabalu and then drove for about three hours to Borneo Proboscis River Lodge in the Klias Wetlands, a swampland of tannin-rich rivers, mangroves and palm trees.

Proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques and silvered leaf monkeys were just as numerous, but there were no orangutans.
By now, I’d had three days of watching primates, and my waking hours were starting to assume a routine that involved being out on the water from sunrise until 10 or 11am, and then again in the late afternoon. I could predict roughly how the proboscis monkeys would react when I saw them, too, and I knew that at least half of the time, the group would make a rapid exit into the forest interior the minute our boat turned up.
So, I had to be quick, either with binoculars or my camera. Following the monkeys’ progress through the canopy was hard enough, but getting decent shots was next to impossible – they were agile animals, moving around high above me in low light levels. Only when they had to jump from one tree to another did they come out into the open, and then they would make spectacular leaps, hurling themselves at nothing in particular from at least 20 metres above the ground.
In trouble again
My guide, Chris, was determined that I should get photographs of leaping monkeys, so while I kept my eye stuck to the viewfinder, he let me know where the group had got to and when an individual was preparing to jump.
“OK, James, he’s going, going, going,” he cried, as I swung the lens round to the area where I thought the monkey might be. “Jump! Jump! Jump!” Chris yelled as I pressed despairingly on the shutter. Occasionally, very occasionally, I captured a blurry arm or leg or a headless torso, but mostly, it was just empty space. “Don’t give up the day job,” I thought, as another leaping monkey action shot went begging.
There was one occasion when I had five minutes to prepare as a youngster hesitated over a leap that the rest of his group had already made. Four or five times, he rocked back and forth at the end of the branch before retreating to the safety of the main trunk, no doubt cursing the day he’d been born a proboscis monkey. It reminded me of the scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, where the two heroes are contemplating a leap into a deep river canyon. Perturbed, Sundance suddenly confesses that he can’t swim. “Swim?” exclaims Butch, “The fall will probably kill you!” Eventually, my own Sundance took the plunge, I missed it and Chris looked at me as if to say, “You didn’t fail again, did you?”
I spent the best part of a week watching monkeys – and mostly proboscis monkeys at that – but I never tired of it. My enduring memory is of the male sitting in the middle of his harem, shoulders hunched, peering from the depths of his green, green world with a mixture of fear and curiosity, silencing the chatter of excitable youngsters with a deep, growly bark that bore a passing resemblance to a didgeridoo.
Each night, I stayed out on the river until darkness fell, then returned to the lodge, enjoying the flickering, yellow-green lights of fireflies as the boat sped through the cooling night air. And I wondered, as I could not help wondering, just whether the proboscis monkeys of Borneo will still have a home when it’s my turn to be reborn with the world’s most remarkable nose.





Getting there
 My trip was organised by World Primate Safaris, which also organises tours to see mountain and lowland gorillas in Africa and lemurs in Madagascar. For further information % 0870 8509 092; www.worldprimatesafaris.com

 My return flight from Heathrow to Sandakan in Sabah, via Singapore, was with Malaysian Airways (www.malaysiaairlines.com). This journey emitted a gargantuan 8,800kg of carbon dioxide, more than eight times the annual emissions of the average Indian. It therefore cost a mammoth €177 to offset with atmosfair. www.atmosfair.de

Conservation
 WWF is active in Sabah, and partly due to its efforts, in 2005 the state government gazetted the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary – 26,000 hectares of riverine forest and floodplain.

 Sadly, being a fertile area, this is also an ideal location for palm oil plantations. You can find more information at www.wwf.org.my (click on ‘Forests’, then ‘Kinabatangan – Corridor of Life’).

What to take
 If you plan on taking photographs of primates, you will need at least a 300mm lens and a tripod. You will also need to shoot on a high ISO rating because of the low light levels.

 I made sure I had these things wherever I went: a water bottle (it’s hot and you get thirsty quickly), a sunhat and suncream and a dry bag for all my camera gear in case of a sudden downpour.

 If you’re bothered by tiny wildlife that bites, take plenty of insect repellent, but I didn’t find mosquitoes a big problem.

Read on
 I enjoyed A Naturalist in Borneo by Robert W C Shelford, a book published posthumously at the beginning of the 20th century (Oxford University Press, ISBN 0195826345). Expensive to buy out in Borneo, it’s available on Amazon for as little as £10.

 Wild Borneo by Nick Garbutt and Cede Prudente (New Holland, ISBN 1845373782, £29.99) is also an interesting read.