mountain gorillas, rwanda

v i s i t i n g   r e l a t i v e s

after walking two hours through dense mountain-rainforest i discovered him. first it was no more than a shadow, than thick black hair: a “black-back” – gorilla was sittin’ in the sun, feeding. it’s just a couple of hours ago that i met the gorillas. it’s already a memory, too fast ran the time – but the strong wish, to get to know them more intensely, emerged immediately. mountain gorillas are marvellous creatures. the 36 animals strong group gathered around the huge silverback in the middle of the group. a “silverback”, a mature male gorilla with silver shining hair on his back,  seemed not to notice all the infants playing around and on his massive body. these animals  seemed peaceful, almost serene to those who visit them.  i nevertheless know that to be a mountain gorilla could be tough. before i came i read the book “gorillas in the mist” by diane fossey.

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what a difference to “my group” -  6 cubans! though they insisted, a 3 – 4 hours trek through the forest is no problem, they soon showed an incredible lack of condition. they behaved like a bunch of schoolchildren … giggling, talking, giggling.  what a difference to the dignity of the gorillas! 10 minutes before the 60 minutes expired – for the sake of the gorillas every visit is limited to 60 minutes – i even met “her”. poppy. poppy is an aged gorilla-lady. i already “met” her while reading the book of diane fossey. in the book i “witnessed” her birth. and now she was there, holding a 2 years old infant. i strongly felt like visiting some relative – one you like. around her three other infants just behaved like any other child … rolling around, springing in the bush…not really coordinated…real roly-polys…

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finally the silverback just gave a grunt and disappeared into the shadow. there he let hear another grunt, the “everything’s allright”-grunt, as one of our guide informed us. the group followed – and thus a magnificient encounter ended.

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