Rwanda: gorillas in the jungle looking for the Pygmies (II)
The mountain is rearing up and boots are muddy. The rain does not stop, but thanks to the leafy trees above us very little water falls. Miro altimeter and brand 2.800 meters. Me, I come from an island, forces me to measure the forces in each step, without wasting energy. We know that at this point the air concentration is less than at sea level, with what we get less oxygen to the lungs, oxygen that feeds our legs.
We are close. I'm sweating, I notice wet feet, wet. The itching produced by the nettles not leave me
After three hours walking, several slips that make us lose footing in the mud and a lot of nettles reached the Rangers pursuing daily at different gorilla families. I'm sweating, I notice wet feet, wet. The itching produced by the nettles not leave me, but do not want to scratch because I know it is worse, although not easy.
We walked on the mud, at some points, knee-us. Paul, the man who, machete and pressure, we careened through the lush jungle, alerted us that we were close. After five minutes of silence, opened before us the green weed and we could see for the first time. A silverback.
As I see the first gorilla previous penalties vanish. Once we have found them a time limit to be with them, one hour. We must remain very still and silent, trying not to look into the eyes of dominant male if we passed his gaze. This gesture can be seen as a provocation and force the male to give a "warning".
I feel like a guest in your home. Barely have we looked, but we know that there
I can not believe I'm more than a dozen copies of gorilla. I feel like a guest in your home. Barely have we looked, but we know that there. Addition, keep a safe distance to the guide sees fit, about eight meters. They ignore us, doing the same thing before we arrived.
The silverback is apart from the group, eating whatever is around, some leaves, stalks and shoots. There are some females with their young gorillas. Babies curious look to the animal that stands in front of them on two legs and balding. Some adults play stick to each other, Hair are thrown or surreptitiously pass off any, hit him and run off quickly. They are human behaviors, but in animals in the wild. We feel we are ahead of our closest ancestors.
There are some females with their young gorillas. Babies curious look to the animal that stands in front of them on two legs and balding
We spent so unnoticed that one of these playful hits us on the run. We took a start, but after we realize that we are like the plants around them: are there and not bother.
When time is up, return on our steps and, seven hours after leaving here, we got back to our 4×4, but first see how a lady down the mountain on a stretcher, payment of 400$ (the final price depends on the distance, the weight and height of the person).
I was lucky enough to share two hours, spread over two days, these animals. New sensations, life experiences. A dream fulfilled.
