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So many illegal activities are taking place in the area of the Ruwenzori mountains, as we realise it in my previous post. During my recent field visit in the area it was impossible to cover all the Ruwenzori area - it is120km long I have been only Mwenda area under control of O.A.N as sample, where we encountered so many illegal activities - activities which are not compatible with conservation because they disturb the habitat and the chimpanzees themselves inside their natural environment. That’s why it has been so difficult for my team to see and to meet these great apes, but so many evidences have been observed in the field such as Nest of chimpanzees.
As you know chimpanzees build nests in which they spend their night or when taking rest during the day time.
This is the environment in which chimps live. The two white houses you see on this picture are a ranger post and an entrance gate for people who climb the mountain. Note the pristine forest. Please we are not allowed to leave this beautiful and unique ecosystem with a lot of potentiality under threat. We tracked chimpanzees for about 5 hours. We were tired, sweating and hungry with our legs unable to carry us any further. At some point we had to use our hands to prevent us rolling down hill.
It is not easy to track down chimpanzees, in a mountainous area. You should have to behave like a chimps, to follow their tracks. I do not know if you are getting the clear picture of the situation. Imagine what its look like in a mountainous area with steep hills. It was difficult to meet with chimps!
More than twenty nest of chimpanzee were seen in the sampled area, but if we investigate in deep really i believe we must found many nest. As I said the chimps have been frustrated. This particular area has been used for more than 20 years since 1986 for military operational purposes conducted by the Ugandan army when they were tracking A.D.F /NALU rebels who are hostile to the actual Ugandan regime. Once upon a time they were taking refuge in this chimpanzee habitat- poaching, timber harvesting, land clearing and the like, so when human beings approach they run away and take refuge in patches of a riverine forest found in an inaccessible gorge. It is a kind of defense mechanism that they have developed in order to survive from different threats of different kinds.
As you can realise on this picture, the team working with me in the monitoring department. Observe the picture carefully, some of them are wearing sandals. Also the monitoring team should be putting on clothes which blend with the environment, the best one is green color, because the whitish or reddish one scare the animals. So on this visit we only saw foot prints. Nests were observed, which is a good indicator showing that really they are in the area.
I will post more about the availability of food and the vocal communication of chimpanzees in a few days!
14 Comments posted on "To track chimps you have to behave like chimps"
Marlis on December 11th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Hello Godefroid,
Sheryl, Washington, DC on December 11th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Marlis, I believe your questions can be answered in the “About” section of this Web site under “Handling Donations.” That section includes information on “Balances & Grants,” “Transferring Money,” and “Receipts & Feedback.” Many of the conservationists who blog here will post the amount of donations and the name of the donor on their blog every month or so. You can designate if you’d like a donation to go towards “boots and uniforms” or some other need, but my experience has been that the people in the field know best where to spend the donations. s.
Pam/Shell Beach CA on December 11th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Thanks for the update and the work you are doing. I just made a donation to your blog in the name of one of my friends. Samantha will be emailing me a certificate so I can give it to my friend saying the donation was made in her name. I’m saying this on your blog because other people may not know about this option. It’s also a great way to spread the word about your work and Wildlife Direct.
Virginia on December 11th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Great post Godefroid….looking forward to reading more about the chimps of Mwenda. When are you going next?
godefroid wambale on December 12th, 2007 at 4:49 am
Dear Virginia,
godefroid wambale on December 12th, 2007 at 5:06 am
Dear Pam/Shell Beach CA
godefroid wambale on December 12th, 2007 at 5:32 am
Hello Marlis,
godefroid wambale on December 12th, 2007 at 5:40 am
Dear Sheryl,Washigton DC
Samantha (WildlifeDirect) on December 13th, 2007 at 12:35 am
Hello everyone. I also work with Godefroid when I am up in Mutsora to help him technically with posting blogs. He has also just put together a list of donation items that we will soon be putting up to help with his chimp project which is incredibly important to the area.
mymalifexx on April 1st, 2008 at 10:28 am
LOL Best wishes,
mymalifexx on April 1st, 2008 at 6:29 pm
+1 Best wishes,
mymalifexx on April 3rd, 2008 at 7:55 am
Perfect Best wishes,
mymalifexx on April 3rd, 2008 at 3:18 pm
+1 Best wishes,
Pharm56 on April 30th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Very nice site! Post a comment
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