Chimps R Us

The next stop on our Amazing African Adventure is in the Kibale Forest National Park in Uganda. Kibale Forest is home to over 500 Chimpanzees which are our closest human relative.

The partly broken forest canopy overhead admits brilliant beams of early morning sunlight patterning the forest floor in a kaleidoscope of light and shadow. We are admonished by Bosco, our ranger guide, to follow closely as the Chimps we are tracking are not the only critter in this forest. Fire ants, poisonous black mambas and a variety of other beasts including forest elephants are a threat to our safety. On the brighter side, a variety of birds high in the canopy are only "visible" through their songs and calls. Bosco quickly imitates and identifies the songs of several including the Red Titter, African Cuckoo, and Trogon.



The undergrowth is not dense but requires our full attention to avoid whipping saplings, and crawling vines that attempt to trip us. Suddenly the relative calm of the forest is shattered by the ear splitting chatter of a troop of Chimps in the canopy. Bosco points them out and we can see several in the act of eating, scampering about, caring for babies and, briefly, an act of hot monkey sex. We see one Chimp braving the stings of a of several bees as he dips his hand into a hive full of honey.



We continue our walk and soon come across another small troop on the forest floor. They, too, are engaged in feeding and foraging. We see one very small chimp riding piggyback on its mother. We are again treated to another episode of hot monkey sex. Our guide tells us that a female in estrus can copulate up to 20 times a day...... but it only lasts 3-5 seconds. I guess sometimes quantity makes up for lack of quality. It's a good thing chimps don't smoke after sex or their life expectancy would be a lot less than the average lifespan of 45 years.

He is only yawning

Often the chimps are difficult to see because of the density of the forest and we almost stumble on to a sleeping chimp. Bosco tells us this one is named Foozy which means orphan in the local language. Foozy is well acclimated to people and lolls about posing for pictures seemingly totally unconcerned or affected by our presence.

"Foozy"

We find a few more troops of chimps before starting the hike out back to the visitor center.

Our path leads us to a creek bed that reveals the huge footprints of the forest elephant. Further on we come across a wallow with the imprint of a sizable elephant. As we exit the forest we are treated to several different varieties of butterflies feeding on the flowers at the fringe of the forest. We arrive back at the visitor center and board our truck to head back to camp.

Bosco with giant Ficus

Next stop Queen Elizabeth National Park.