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

Settling in: Life at Mahale

Life in Mahale National Park is easy to settle into for new camp managers.  Late breakfasts due to the late sunrises over the mountains.  Gorgeous sunsets over Lake Tanganyika and the Congo.  Guests go hiking in the mornings yet we have chimp sightings in camps multiple times a week lately.  What is not to love?

We view a new group of guests as if we are turning the channel of a television; we have new entertainment of fascinating dinner conversations turn up in our camp every 3-4 days.  In our short time here, we've seen groups form quick bonds and stay in touch and have been lucky to be included in their vows of friendship that span a globe. 

Life in Mahale is grand. 
Come visit,
Matt and Parker

Nomad Tanzania: Hot off the press!

Check out the coverage The Business Year gives Nomad in their upcoming book about Tanzania.

Welcome to our new home!

Greystoke Mahale is proud to welcome our new camp managers: Matt Crowley-Miano and Parker Campbell.  The chimps, this time of year, are spreading out in small groups at times and making trips into our camp to raid our fig tree.  It's a beautiful time of year in Mahale.  The sashimi is fresh, and the sunsets are gorgeous.   

Leopard cub(s?)!!!!

It is quite difficult to see the clear evidence in these photos and for that we apologise. There were very few of these prints remaining because their path crossed with the path of a supply boat being offloaded early this morning. It was then that we found the leopard tracks with accompanying tracks i.e. a cub!

The gestation period for leopards is 90-105 days. These prints are pretty small; cubs can walk from two weeks but don't usually come out of the den to learn to hunt until 2 months. We think ther den must be very close!

It was impossible to tell if the tracks were from more than 1 cub (a litter is usually 2 or 3), but we sincerely hope so as fewer than 50% of leopard cubs reach the age of 1 year, therfore it would better the odds significantly!

You can see the cub print on the left above the word 'left', and the mamma cub's print on the right of this photo.

We really hope to keep seeing this mamma leopard with accompanying tracks for some time to come, and of course, not just the tracks - we recently had one guest who had a motion-detecting camera in use overnight. We knew the leopards were around thanks to the askari's nightwatch. Sadly the camera didn't 'capture' any leopards, despite setting up the camera in the places where we thought it most likely to spot them. As soon as we have any evidence beyond prints, be sure you will hear about it!