"the more you learn about the dignity of the gorilla, the more you want to avoid people."

dian fossey

By 默默富酷

December 7^th, 2019

gorilla in the mist

first published on my facebook on 21 dec 2019

while i am impartial to safari animal stalking, when rowena and fairuzl told me about an opportunity to observe the furry primates up close, i knew i wanted to visit these endangered animals (the gorillas, not my human friends).

of course i had been looking forward for the encounter, and even practiced stereotyped monkey hand clap and the "hoo hoo" monkey calls in participation of showing these simians.

some of you know that i popped my knee during the trek. some of you asked "was it worth popping a knee to see the silverbacks". i would say "yes, you heartless fiend".

we were trekking to catch the nyakagezi group, a cluster of 8 gorillas with the following social order:

mark (dominant silverback, 42 yo) - named after the first tourist of the group.
ndungutse (silverback. 21yo) - name means profit.
rukundo (silvernack, 19 yo) - name means love.
cyizanye (adult female, 22 yo) - name means "joined group herself"
nshunti (adult female, 20 yo) - name means friend.
mutagamba (awkward youth, 6 yo) - son of nshunti and named after minister of tourism.
tulambule (infant female, 3 yo) - daughter of cyizanye and name means "let us tour"
nsekuye (infant female, 2 yo) - daughter of nshunti and name means "relieved from problems"

and there was me, seebehtia (immature male, pass legal drinking age) - name means "i just slipped and dislocated my left knee".

we got to see all but 1 of the gorilla, i believe cyizanye was out doing her nails or getting a new perm.

the first time setting eyes on these majestic beasts was breath-taking, maybe that was because we ascended the equivalent of 262 floors just to see them.

one interesting fact about the gorillas that many do not know, they are afraid of insects and reptiles, just like girls. and the gorillas cannot parallel park. ok, don't google, i made the last part up.

my first sighting of a silverback - it is unusually terrifying, captivating and seductive all at once. cue eminem and nate dogg's "shake that " music.

iwasn't sure which silverback was the first i saw, they should really wear nametags like the malaysian politicians.

i think silverbacks are just hair negatives of human. i mean they are hairy all over except the chest, just the opposite of men.

"the more you learn about the dignity of the gorilla, the more you want to avoid people."

they were fascinating to observe. ain't gorilla trekking just a fancy word for animal stalking. think about it, that's what zoophilists do right? they follow animals for miles and watch them with a half grin, lowering their voices and hide behind bushes, peek out with those creepy binoculars and breath heavily "beautiful" when the animals glance towards them? if animals have cell phones, they would call, wait for a voice on the other line and hang up.

it is a good thing the animals could not call the cops.

"officer, i would like to report that limping guy followed me for an hour this morning. i woke up and he was talking pictures of me and my family. we were naked, for goodness sake. and he continued to watch and video me poop."

immediately after my mishap, i thought i could not see the gorillas. when i descended from the steep slope into a landing, i found mark waiting for me as the mist descend.

i suppose he really wanted me to have this shot. i could almost hear him speak to me, but again, it could be my endorphins kicking in and messing up my brain.

ndungutse doesn't sleep with the main crew and is sort of the outcast. i was told by the ranger that ndungutse and rukundo are not on friendly terms, and since mark, the pit boss, likes rukundo more, ndungutse usually stay at a distance.

and ndungutse doesn't has a mate. no wonder he was spending his time looking at his hairy hands the whole time i was there.

troopers

the gorrilla trek had to be escorted by a team of heavily armed rangers. there are dangers along the way, they said - elephants, buffaloes, leopards, tax collectors...

but no one warned about tree roots snapping my knee.

a big shout out to the rangers and gorilla trekkers who protected the gorillas from me and for carrying me down the trek after my knee popped - it was definitely tougher than the navy seal course.