Blogs from North, Congo, Africa

Ngaga Camp - Western Lowland Gorillas! My first safari camp, near Odzala Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo, was Ngaga Camp. This camp began as the prime research site of Magdalena (Magda) Bermejo, generally recognized as the leading researcher in the world in regard to Western Lowland Gorillas. She was there during my stay, along with numerous other researchers. There are approximately 17 gorilla groups in the area - 3 of them have been acclimated to some limited human contact. Several years ago I was fortunate to experience a trek to view the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. They are relatively sedentary and very open to human presence. It was a life changing experience to be gently in the presence of these amazing creatures! By contrast, the Western Lowland Gorillas are quite active, on the ... read more

I stared, they stared back. The sun was slowly rising behind a thick blanket of white-grey cloud so the light was dusky but I could clearly see their golden brown eyes looking intently into mine. I breathed hard through my mask, sucking in cloth, exhaling fascination. I was in marantaceae rainforest in the middle of a group of western lowland gorillas, in seventh heaven. See footage of western lowland gorillas. The young gorilla I was eyeballing was sitting on a branch practically above my head. One of their friends came bounding down behind them, a bundle of brownish-grey fur and fun, and pushed into them, wanting to play. The two juveniles went hand over hand down tree limbs or swung on vines. A branch broke and they plummeted to the ground but were apparently unhurt. We ... read more

Bétou, Province Likouala, Congo I had my doubts about coming here. I was already on the fence about the idea of continuing what my friends in the field and I have come to term The International Life. The International Life being the life of humanitarian workers, whose lives I have come to realize are wholly dictated by a love of the field and little else. First there are the obvious disadvantages: moving from place to place, the inability to maintain a home or a relationship, the distance from loved ones, goat cheese and baguettes…the list goes on. Then there are the downsides that we tend to ignore or suppress, such as the truly depressing nature and inherent frustrations of the work, the constant questioning of why on earth am I off in some forsaken place, and ... read more