Lounging Luvlees

Mahales 3 resident warthogs made themselves quite comfortable in the dining area yesterday much to the guests delight! Big Bird was reasonably put out by the fuss made over them and quickly set off making sweeping and soaring flights along the beach demonstrating the best we had taught her so far. It wasn't enough really.

 

Pelican brief

Often upstaging the chimps "Big Bird" continues to be loved by all who visit here. It's not everyday you get to pat a tame pelican! She is extremely tolerant, sweet and possibly a boy, nobody can really say just yet.
 "Flight training" commences before breakfast most mornings if wind conditions allow. Even Big Bird knows that taking off with a back wind is foolhardy.
 Flights over the water are common now and even a loop around the back of the mess was witnessed. Landings are at best shaky and we often have to look away as she underestimates ground speed and stopping distances. All too cute though.
Next she really needs to improve her fishing techniques.

Where mangos, chimps go

Trees laden with mangos prove irresistible to our hairy neighbours at this time of year and we are being visited regularly in camp by M-group members. Sometimes it's Orion who is sneaking around with Cynthia at the moment on some kind of extended date and avoiding the higher ranked males for fear of a beating having singled out one of their prime females. Other times Alofu and his loyal followers have strolled through the back of the camp to feast and swing through the mango tree briefly before Primus turns up throwing his weight and branches about and spoiling the peace much to our visitors delight. On days between camp visits guests are still required to hike well into the park at times for even more rewarding chimp encounters.

Mango snack

New Blood

The start of this month has been really interesting with the guides getting back one morning to say that the Alpha male (Primus) had been beaten up really badly. Unfortunately they couldn't say if he was removed from his position. A few days later after he had recovered Primus had resumed his position.

The young bloods continued their challenges to the top ranking males and the guests then saw some amazing behavior going on while up in the mountains.

Michio has been the main young blood that has been challenging Alufu with Orion and Christmas. Michio has been challenging Alufu a lot by charging around. Alufu, Alina, Bonobo (with the broken arm) Kulunde and Fanana all sat in a tight group observing Michio's going-ons. Eventually Fanana had enough and asked Alufu to sort out this naughty boy and so all 4 males suddenly got up and charged Michio and Alufu caught him and gave him a good hiding for 5 minutes after which Michio ran off.

Continuing on, the guides found Darwin who is number 3 in the ranking and a gentle male. He has been hanging out with Christmas who is not well at the moment and has flu like symptoms and a cough.

Now Darwin was seen after being beaten up badly but he has since healed and recovered well. When we first saw him he was really in a bad way with his finger, ear and face bitten and his foot bitten badly.  Unfortunately we aren't too sure who was responsible for this but I have a feeling that it was Michio after the way he has been acting as it looks like he is trying to rise to a higher rank than what he actually is.

So, stay tuned for more exciting stories of the M community.

This will be my last blog for this season.  We would like to welcome Kerrie and Jeff to the Greystoke team and they will continue the stories for all of you.

Sacha

The Old and the New

Bonobo is doing okay and has been seen chilling with Kalunde. 

One morning while he was relaxing naughty Xmas came along the path way to disrupt the peace.

He started to charge back and forth and displayed around us. It was a very heart pounding experience and the guide Filbert was very good and asked us to stay still and not to move while we observed Xmas doing his display close by.

Then a few minutes later a female chimp in estrus came along the path and this set Xmas off again. It was interesting to see him displaying but this time Kalunde and Bonobo also got involved and so the display was incredible. They were all jumping up and down and climbing the vines, during this display all the females and their young headed to the highest point of the trees whilst the males were putting on a show for us.

After displaying they all gathered round and started to groom each other and relax. Xmas by this stage was tired and headed to a lovely vine and rested, whilst close by Darwin was resting as well, not interested in all the displaying.

 

We left the chimps after an hour and were all pumped with adrenalin from the displaying. Each day is filled with great excitement and so to witness this display so close was brilliant and all the guests were really happy and managed to get some fantastic photos and videos.

Sacha

The Old Boys

The chimps have been out on their border patrol high up the Mahale mountains the other day so was a bit of a walk up to view them.  While out we saw all the familiar faces and observed them charging about and making a lot of noise.

 

While up in the hills old Bonobo was seen in deep conversation with one of the other Males and the pictures captured this really well! His arm is healing but still not used much.  As they were chatting in chimp lingo they were also eating away. 

 

  

Photos by Donna Armstrong

 

Then our king maker Kalunde who is the oldest chimp in Mahale and about 54 years old  was being groomed and was just sitting and relaxing while letting the younger more vocal males display around their territory.

 

Photo by Donna Armstrong

 

They have finished their patrol and have come close to the beach again so not to far to walk after a few days of some good hiking in the hills.

 

The Newest Edition to M Group

The newest edition to M group. While out chimping this season we have noticed a new addition to the M group family. Of all who have visited Greystoke some have been fortunate to have seen the little baby who is believed to be around 3 months old now. What a little cutie.

Within the group dynamics poor Bonobo has a broken arm and is being hassled by the other males trying to display and threatening his ranking. All guests have been seeing some amazing behavior.

Christmas (Xmas) is still the naughtiest giving everyone good charges and guests have come back to camp saying how close he comes when displaying. Primus the Alpha male controls the group fairly but every now and again has to discipline some of the naughty males and rushes past the guests with a big log in tow and shakes the branches in his display and creating order in his Group.

Hope to keep you all posted on what happens with Bonobo and the rest of M group in the coming weeks

Sacha