Chimpanzee's cross the Lubulungu River

By Hamza Mmole, Greystoke Mahale 
 

It was a peculiar day of its own kind when I went out chimp tracking with a group of six guests. We encountered a large group of chimpanzee’s crossing Lubulungu river heading south which is near the border of another chimpanzee community that is not habituated.

We spent 35 minutes watching them and they were all in single file stepping from rock to rock and holding on to only the dry rocks. It is known that chimps are very careful to avoid wet rocks or any area with water. One characteristic of Chimpanzees is that they cannot swim, very similar to the Makua people, which is my tribe.

It was very interesting to observe chimpanzee’s bending their necks drinking water while other chimps were crossing the River.

On our way back to camp one of the guests who has been to the Serengeti told me that the Chimpanzee’s crossing the river reminded him of the very spectacular crossing of wildebeest on the Mara River.

Matsuya with a necklace of figs

By Lazaro George - Guide, Greystoke Mahale

Matsuya is one of the sub adult chimpanzees in M community, here in Mahale Mountain National Park. We are normally expecting Matsuya to play different games especially during the time the other Chimps are holding their siesta. Some of her activities include playing with people by throwing pieces of wood, stones and other things.

She will also happly play soccer if she finds Wild Mangos on the Forest floor.

This year there has been a shortage of food from May to July and all of our Chimps are a little skinnier than usual.  At the time when the fig trees and some other trees were fruiting the chimps were very happy and it was the time they grouped themselves by calling each other. We were out chimping with six guest one day in July, and had the luck that day to see a troop of chimps one of them being Matsuya being very active in front of the guest.

Matsuya after fed up with playing , moved from the tree looking for a comfortable place where she could make a day time nest and also sit and eat comfortably. After she made the nest she climbed back down, went  to the fig tree in order to pick up more fruit. She picked up a big bunch of figs and hung them around her shoulder and walked back to the nest where started to eat. This sight really reminded everyone of a beautiful necklace.