Photos

This is Charles, who was our guide while we went chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park. Three of us and Charles set off early in the morning, hiking on well-maintained trails. After about an hour or so, we turned off the trail and started to bushwhack through very dense forest. We came upon a clearing and saw about a half-dozen chimps high up in the trees. While we were pretty excited to see these chimps, Charles was convinced that if we kept going we’d be able to see even more. We continued deeper into the forest, trying desperately to keep up with Charles as he easily negotiated the thick underbrush and mud.

Eventually, we started hearing the chimps howling, and Charles said he thought there would be a war between a group of black and white colobus monkeys and the chimps. We stood very quietly, and we could see a group of about 20-25 of the small colobus monkeys high in a tree. The monkeys were yelling and shrieking, and according to Charles, they were doing it to taunt the chimps and provoke a fight. Sure enough, the chimps started to gather together, both on the ground and in the trees. They were howling like nothing I’ve ever heard before, running on both sides of us, not paying the slightest attention to us. When about 15 or 20 chimps were gathered, they took off in the direction of the monkeys. After lots of chasing and swinging and howling, they caught one of the monkeys and killed him. After about 15 to 20 minutes, the chimps chased the monkeys from their territory. Although disturbingly violent, I have to say that witnessing this “war” was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had.

Afterward, as we stood watching the chimps up in the trees, one of my traveling companions said that she thought it was starting to rain. With not a cloud in the sky, we looked up, and Charles laughed and said that she’d just been given a “hot shower” by one of the chimps!