A close-up of the stunningly beautiful malachite kingfisher, shot in the Kazinga Channel of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda.

A hooded vulture standing over the finished remains of a Ugandan kob…

The moment finally arrived after eager anticipation, and our 2-day gorilla-trekking experience at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest turned out to be a tale of two stories…

Day One – trekking the Bitukura family

Day one caught us somewhat unprepared given that 2009 was a particularly busy year and consequently something had to fall by the way-side and for us this was physical fitness! Our trek began easily enough on relatively flat and open terrain, but this was only the pre-cursor as we were simply walking to the point where we would have to enter the dense forest. It was here that two things became clear. First, we understood why Bwindi was called Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, as the foliage was incredibly dense. Second, we understood why the gorillas were called mountain gorillas – as we found ourselves navigating slopes of 60 degrees or more! It was definitely a trek and a half.

Fortunately we didn’t have to trek for long as we found the gorillas within an hour, but it was nevertheless an intense trek. Then came the next surprise, which perhaps reflected our naivety more than anything else. Somehow we had envisioned that after some hard trekking we’d break through into a beautiful open clearing where the gorillas would be seated in a neat circle, inter-acting among themselves and posing for photographs when required. Reality was somewhat different. On this day, we’d found the gorillas in a particularly dense bit of the forest on a very steep incline. The dense foliage meant that, despite the Bitukura group being a family of 13 gorillas, we could see no more than one gorilla at a time. And it also meant that you had little rest during this hour as you were fighting to keep your footing on the steep incline, battling through the foliage as you looked for the other gorillas, supporting yourself by hanging onto vines and undergrowth and then of course trying to actually photograph the gorillas.

Despite all this, we were brimming with excitement when we caught a glimpse of our first gorilla, a silverback. Admittedly, conditions that day were simply not ideal for photography as the gorillas were often shrouded by the foliage, and we also had limited room for movement and hence little scope for composition given the dense shrubbery and steep inclines. So we had to resign ourselves to enjoying and appreciating the moment – seeing these magnificent creatures in the wild. Our highlight of the day: an adorable baby gorilla up a tree.

Tip: try to find out in advance which gorilla family you’ll be trekking. The Bitukura and the Shonji families are actually several hours away from the main lodges in Bwindi and you’re therefore advised to find accommodation closer to where your treks will actually take place.

Day Two – trekking the Mubare family

After the first day of trekking, we weren’t sure if we had the reserves to trek for a second consecutive day. But fortunately we woke up somewhat rejuvenated after a restful sleep!

Day two was a much easier trek for us despite it being a longer one – this was at least in part due to the fact that we were mentally prepared, and partly also because the terrain was easier and our group as a whole maintained a slightly slower pace.

And when we finally found the gorillas, this time we found them in a relatively open space and a gentler slope! As sod’s law would have it, A&T had left some additional photographic gear behind after day one as we thought that conditions would make it virtually impossible to switch lenses or to try to carry more than one camera. Day two was a photographer’s dream and we managed to get some exceptional clear views of the gorillas with room to move around for angles and composition.

But the highlight of the day (and the trip) was yet to come… Chun was busily shooting Kanyonyi, a 14-year old blackback gorilla in the group (they tend to become silverbacks around the age of 15), when it suddenly got up and started walking straight towards him… and didn’t stop until his muzzle was pressed up against Chun’s cheek. Kanyonyi sniffed him and looked him up and down for a good couple of minutes, checked out his camera equipment, pressed his nose and mouth against the side of Chun’s face again before finally moving off.

Unforgettable, adrenaline-charged, emotional and simply magical… words simply can’t describe the incredible experience. Kissed by a mountain gorilla – this will be one memory of Uganda that A&T will remember for a lifetime.

Also read our related post, Exploring Uganda.

Also read our post on ‘Exploring Uganda‘ from our recent field trip.

Of course no safari to Uganda would be complete without visiting the home of the mountain gorillas in Bwindi. This was A&T’s first gorilla-trekking experience – does it live up to the hype and expectations? We trekked twice in Bwindi and we can imagine that individual experiences can be vastly different. For A&T, gorilla-trekking alone made the trip to Uganda more than worthwhile. We knew this during our second trek. We knew that even if we did not see any big game on our game drives during the rest of our stay in Uganda, we would go home happy with memories to last a lifetime. But is this because our experience was unique? Perhaps. But perhaps unique experiences on these gorilla treks are more common that we think. Read more about this our article, ‘Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi – Kiss of a Mountain Gorilla’.

The one failing in Uganda is the state of its roads. There are some stretches of extremely poorly kept roads which seem like an extended network of pot-holes and crevices, where you’re sometimes reduced to driving at no more than 10-20kmh. It’s believed that efforts are underway to repair some of these roads as there’s increasing recognition in the Ugandan government of the value of the tourism trade to GDP. In the meantime, chartered flights may be the solution to avoiding some of these roads (scheduled flights to key safari destinations in Uganda are still relatively rare).

So what’s game viewing like in Uganda? We’re probably not yet qualified to be any sort of authority on this, given we only managed to cover Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo. But our initial experience was that big game was relatively more sparse compared to Tanzania and Kenya. But it may be a case of knowing where to go, as we had an incredible boat ride experience in the Kazinga channel that links Lake Edward to Lake George. The channel was simply teeming with birdlife, elephants, buffalo, crocodiles and hippos. The water is still which still makes it possible for excellent photography opportunities. And, on a boat, you manage to get a lot closer to the birdlife than you normally do in a 4×4. Truly this is an experience not to be missed for anyone, but perhaps even moreso if you’re a bird lover. We enjoyed it so much we repeated the boat trip the following day. We met a wonderful couple on this boat trip who also came back for seconds, one of whom was a wildlife biologist and their excitement at being immersed in this ‘National Geographic’ experience was infectious.

For would-be philanthropists in Uganda, there is simply no shortage of opportunities to make a profound difference. We were very privileged to meet several exceptional individuals on this trip who have already, in their own way, accomplished so much in Uganda. It was humbling to hear their stories and certainly A&T would like to explore further how we and our future clients could all contribute to some of these incredible projects. We will be writing more about this in due course.

Certainly a return to Uganda is already in the cards and we’ve heard fantastic things about some other parks in Uganda, particularly Murchison Falls and Kidepo National Park. As we gradually unwind our backlog of work, we will update our blog with more photos and details of various aspects of our trip. Stay tuned!

Photography:-
‘Children of Africa’ featured photos
Gorilla trekking article and photos

The annual Red List is the most comprehensive guide to the world’s endangered species. It is compiled on the back of the work of thousands of scientists, and it documents 47,677 different species at risk, providing information on those most endangered and those that have become extinct.

It is a shocking reminder of just how much impact human activities are having on the biodiversity of the world, and should be a wake-up call for us all.

Amphibians Fare the Worst

Of all the groups of animals, it is the amphibians that seem to be facing the biggest threat. Out of 6,285 amphibians on the list, 1,895 of these are in serious danger. The list also documents 5,490 mammal species, 79 of which are extinct in the wild, 188 of which are critically endangered and 449 of which are endangered.

Reptiles are also under increasing threat. There are 293 new reptiles on the list since last year, and 1,677 of the total number are threatened, with 469 facing extinction and 22 thought to be extinct.

A Third of Species at Threat

The list reveals that over a third of all the species on the list are now threatened with extinction. Of the 47,677 at risk, 17,291 of these are thought to be threatened. This includes 21% of mammals, 30% of amphibians, 70% of plants and 35% of invertebrates. It’s clear from these startling figures that if more is not done then we could well see a mass extinction within the next few decades.

Kihansi Spray Toad

Kihansi Spray Toad

One species to get special attention in the report was the Kihansi Spray Toad. This tiny toad is now thought to be extinct in the wild, even though it was only discovered in 1996. It is only found at the Kihansi waterfall in Tanzania, and as recently as June 2003 there were about 21,000 of them. Now, following the construction of a dam and the effects of a deadly fungus, they are thought to be extinct in the wild.

Plants Also Faring Badly

Although it is the animals on the list that may provoke the biggest reaction, there are now 12,151 plants included. These include the Queen of the Andes that is found in Peru and Bolivia. This nine-foot giant only seeds once every 80 years and then dies. It is now under increasing threat from climate change and the increase in cattle numbers.

More Needs to be Done

Conservationists are saying that not enough is being done to protect the biodiversity of the planet. It is clear that we are running out of time and that harmful human practices are leading to the extinction of thousands of species.

Mark Wright, the conservation science advisor at WWF-UK, said that “the continued and unprecedented loss of species must not be accepted as just a sad reality we can do nothing about. Biodiversity loss is an alarming indicator of the general health of our planet and of the well-being of our own species. We must act to halt this decline.”

International Union for Conservation of Nature

The Red List is available on the IUCN website.

Founded only 2 years ago, it has already taken part in many huminatarian efforts with an emphasis on China and has raised funds for numerous charitable organisations. Attendees included Ted Turner and the actress Sun Li. The following are some of our favourite shots of the day.

What are Primates?

Primates consist of great apes, monkeys, lemurs and us. There are over 185 species of primates in the world, 51 of which are in Africa, although this could well go up as new discoveries are made every once in a while. The latest such discovery was a new species of mangabey monkey, the Highland Mangabey, found in the Udzungwa Mountains in the south of Tanzania in 2005.

Types of Primate

Great Apes

Silverback Gorilla

Great apes consist of gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans. All three of these species are endangered. They are characterised by not having tails and by walking on all fours along the ground on their knuckles. They are the most similar types of primate to ourselves.

Monkeys

Monkeys have highly developed brains and tails that can often grasp the branches of a tree like an extra limb. This makes them especially suited to living in the trees where they can move freely. They also have grasping hands that can be used to make tools.

Lemurs

Madagascar Lemur

Lemurs are only found in Madagascar. They are very small compared to other primates, and have eyes that face forwards which provides them with depth perception. They have tails like monkeys, but they cannot use them to grip onto things. Both their feet and their hands have opposable fingers and toes.

Characteristics

Primates are characterised as being socially complex creatures. They nearly always live in groups, where social activities are very important to them. This can include grooming, which is not just used for cleaning but for important social bonding.

Primates often have strict social hierarchies with alpha males leading the group. Social activities like grooming often follow this social pattern, with the less important animals grooming the ones that are higher up the rankings.

Primates are also known for their prehensile hands that are used for climbing trees, eating and making tools.

Where do they Live?

babboons

The vast majority of primates live in rainforests. This is because they are very much at home amidst the trees, which they often rely on for food and protection. There are only a few species that can survive quite happily away from trees, including chimpanzees and baboons. The latter are the most common types of primates that you are likely to see on a safari to Africa.

Best Places to See Them

Primates are found all over Africa. You can often find monkeys living quite happily in the trees in town centres, but some are a lot harder to find. Two of the most popular types of primates are gorillas and chimpanzees.

Gorillas

There are two species of gorilla – the mountain gorilla and the western lowland gorilla. Mountain gorillas are amongst the most endangered creatures on earth, and the are restricted to a few groups in Central Africa. If you want to see them then you should head on an organised gorilla safari to Uganda or Rwanda.

To see western lowland gorillas, head to Cameroon for the best chance to see them. The Dzangha Sanga Reserve in the south of the country is a great place to encounter them, as well as other primates.

Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees are more widely distributed than gorillas, and they too can be found in Cameroon. However, one of the best places to see them is in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. This is where Jane Goodall set up her research programme, the most important of its kind in the world.

Primate Conservation

There are a number of charities and organisations that you can support if you want to help the plight of primates across Africa and the world.

International Primate Rescue is one of the largest that works with all types of primates.

The Jane Goodall Institute was set up by Jane Goodall and supports the plight of chimpanzees.

Conservation International supports primates across the world, as well as working on other conservation programmes.

The Gorilla Organisation works to support gorillas in Africa and protect them from extinction.

Elephant Conservation

The African elephant is one of the most majestic animals on earth. Graceful, beautiful and unique, a world without them is almost too awful to imagine. But that is the stark possibility that was presented this week by experts in animal conservation at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), who said that the African elephant could be extinct in the wild in as little as 15 years.

Dwindling Population

The population of African elephants today stands at about 600,000. This may seem like a fairly healthy number, but it is going down rapidly. Experts suggest that the population is now going down by as many as 38,000 each year, or 100 each day. And at this rate they only have a certain amount of time left.

The Ivory Trade

These figures have been worked out based on seizures of illegal tusks that have been found on their way to eastern markets. This is a trade that is growing rapidly after being brought relatively under control in recent years. In 2006 alone, 11 tonnes of ivory was seized on ships heading for the far east. The trade has grown so large that the amount of elephants being killed now outweigh the number being born.

Elephants are just one of the animals under threat from illegal poaching. The illegal trade in wildlife is currently valued at a staggering $12.5 billion.

Troubled History

The problem with the poaching of elephants is that the ban on ivory trading has been undermined over the years. 20 years ago, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) introduced new measures that effectively made the ivory trade illegal. Enormous protection was given to elephants to prevent the vast drops in numbers that had been witnessed throughout the 1980s. During the space of ten years, the numbers went down from 1.2 million to 450,000.

Despite initial success, loopholes and new efforts by the pro-ivory industry have seen the trade rise again. One of the major problems is that sales of ivory from elephants that have died from natural causes are occasionally permitted. However, this only serves to fuel demand. On top of that, the recent economic crisis has made things even worse as anti-poaching efforts are scaled back.

The problem can be witnessed starkly in Zakouma National Park in Chad. As recently as 2005, there were 3,885 elephants here. This year that number has gone down to just 617.

New Regulation Needed

Now IFAW is calling for immediate action to combat the potential extinction of this incredible animal. It is calling on all members of CITES and the EU to stop its support for the ivory trade completely.

Kenya has proposed to extend the ‘resting period’ for ivory sales from nine to 20 years, and IFAW is asking for support for this initiative at the next CITES meeting in March 2010.

Support the IFAW

If you want to help the IFAW in its bid to save the elephant from imminent extinction, you can support it through its website. Not only will you be helping the plight of the elephants, but the fund also supports animal welfare initiatives across the globe, running projects in over 40 countries.