Firstly, please accept our apologies for the intermittent postings on the blog. Internet access in Uganda is not consistently available! More photos coming as soon as we get a good enough connection!“Hello! You are welcome!” – Commonly Heard Ugandan GreetingWe had an wonderful experience in our first week in Entebbe where we visited local schools, prepared the content of the workshop, enjoyed delicious tropical fruit (and local beer!) and risked life and limb dodging other cars, boda bodas (motorcycle taxis) and bicycles in the traffic on a visit to the busy capital of Kampala. Having this preparation week where we were able to get to know the warmth and welcoming nature of the local community was invaluable to us as facilitators of the coming workshops.
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary – Walking With the Chimps!
Background of the SanctuaryNgamba Island is a small island of approximately 100 acres that has been made into a chimpanzee sanctuary. It was originally set up by JGI along with other conservation societies and has now been passed over to the local organization: The Ugandan Chimpanzee Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Trust. The sanctuary was needed as all of these chimpanzees have been confiscated from private owners, black markets where infants are illegally sold as exotic pets (sometimes beside their slaughtered mothers whose bodies are sold for bush meat) or who have been rescued from snares set for other animals. The sanctuary allows the chimps to integrate together as a social group and have as normal a life as possible after being rescued. The caretakers live on the island and work tirelessly from dawn until dusk to prepare food, integrate new arrivals, take care of veterinary needs and educate visitors about the chimpanzee life and conservation. Visiting the island is very expensive but the money goes directly back to the care of the chimps.
Chimp Feeding Experience
Heading across Lake Victoria, we did not anticipate that we would be in an open boat and would be wearing the lake as much as we would be watching it! We arrived, fingers crossed that you cannot get bilharzia from a good lake splashing, in anticipation of seeing the chimps from close proximity. From the viewing platform that separates the small visitor part of the island from the rest of the forest where the chimps roam, we watched their amazingly human-like behaviours as they waited for pieces of fruit to be thrown to them. The 44 chimps in the group have established a clear hierarchy and those at the top sat closest to get the first round of fruits tossed over. Some stood up, called or even clapped for attention from the caregivers. Others were deft at catching a piece of fruit thrown to them after holding up an arm like a baseball outfielder. Each face was unique and expressive and we were endeared to them instantaneously.
Infant IntegrationAfter the feeding, the chimps returned to the forest and we were shown to our very upscale tents facing the lakeshore. Sunbirds, thick-knees, lapwings, Egyptian geese, pied kingfishers, ibis, hammerkops, weavers and egrets chirped, chatted and fluttered about in the marsh in front of our veranda. No sooner had we got settled when we had the opportunity to watch the infant integration program in action. Sophie, who has come to evaluate the program from JGI Canada, participated in this integration. Two young chimps, Afrika and Leo, have been rescued and need to be slowly integrated into the community. The are brought together with some low-ranking, young females to play and interact but they need the comfort of humans as they get to know their new primate social group. Sophie was able to watch and interact in the playing and tumbling of the young ones with those already integrated in an enclosure. We watched from above. No photographs of humans interacting with chimps are permitted as it encourages the illegal exotic pet trade so no photographs are available of this unique experience.
Going for a Walk with the Chimps
It was difficult to go to sleep that first evening as we were all anticipating our forest walk with the chimps early the next morning. Dawning our green overalls and gumboots at the forest edge, we stood excited and a little nervous as Billie, a 44 kg chimp, approached to decide who she wanted to carry her. Billie is known for choosing the strongest human so she can have a longer ride before one tires of her. She sat, like the thinker, looking us over until she approached Ingrid and climbed onto her back. Rambo, a young and very rambunctious chimp approached Patricia and kissed her hand. Nani, climbed on Chris, Sophie carried Ikuru , April had Pasa get on her back and Monica ended up with 14kg Rambo in her arms.
We walked into the forest together, in awe of these quiet and gentle animals who climbed on us as though we were their family. The chimps have areas in the forest that they call conference areas as they meet there so often they have warn away the plant life of the floor in that spot. We stopped at one and the chimps climbed down. Some used their incredible strength to climb into the trees and look for fruit, others stayed to groom us and be groomed. Rambo, of course, wanted to play and Patricia and caretaker/vet Fred each grabbed and arm and a leg and swung him around to his delight until he summersaulted away to find other trouble to cause. Patricia sat with Ikuru and they took turns grooming each other. Ikuru seemed to wonder if Patricia’s freckles were insects that needed to be removed! Patricia was very enchanted with Ikuru when she turned to her and they groomed each other face to face.
We moved on shortly as a group, most of the chimps walking with us now, except poor Ingrid who had 38 kg Pasa now decide she wanted to be carried. Fred warned us that red ants were coming up on the pathway but we did not really realize the implications of this! Humans and chimps alike were suddenly jumping around slapping themselves like the proverbial having “ants in your pants” and poor Chris, who couldn’t wear her specs as this chimps might take them, could not only not see anything, but had a big hole in her overalls so she got the worst of the fire ants in her pants!
We had no more managed to remove the offending insects when the next obstacle appeared in front of all our eyes (except Chris’ as she couldn’t see anything). A literal funnel of webs with big long black-legged spiders was covering our path. Fred bravely cut through the webs and we ran, as fast as possible for those of us still carrying chimps, through the pathway. As soon as we had passed and removed any spiders that clung to us, we were at the shore and Rambo, suddenly realizing the fact that he could get wet leaped into Sophie’s arms. Chimps do not like to swim! So we turned around and headed back. We stopped at another conference area and the chimps lounged in poses that were all too familiar: one leg propped over the other, flat on their backs arms flug out or behind their heads. Monica stroked Ikuru’s arm and then she stroked Monica’s arm. Ikuru then noticed Monica was flinching and flicking a few ants off her neck. She studied Monica’s flicking for a few minutes and then reached over with one hand and one foot and began to groom her hair.
Sadly we had to return and leave our new found friends behind but each of us were deeply impacted by connecting so closely with our friends with whom we share 98.7% of our DNA. By the next feeding, when the whole group came out of the forest, we suddenly saw all the chimpanzees in a new light. They were individuals with personalities and emotional responses that we could not imagine had suffered some of the cruelties they have at our species hands.
Back on the human side of the island, we had barely stopped reeling from this amazing interaction when one of the island residents called us over to a bush at the lake shore and pointed out a 1.5 meter long rock python! This resident was new to the island and shortly after we had our look, it was decided it should be removed fro the safety of the chimpanzees so a caretaker picked it up as we watched in amazement and took the snake away for safe transport.
The final (mis)adventure of the day was Monica’s kayaking trip. Monica blissfully paddled around the island’s shore listening to the bird calls under the African sun and thinking, when she heard the chimpanzees crying in the forest, what an enchanting and magical experience it was. Little did she know, not only was she in hippo and croc territory, she was also in chimpanzee territory – they have been known to jump aboard fishermen’s boats to attack when they get to close to the shore of their territory!
Overall, the visit to Ngamba Island was an important part of our understanding of the conservation issues in Uganda. Connecting with the chimps certainly helped underline the incredible importance of Environmental Education in Uganda and added another layer to our investment in helping to integrate this into the curriculum.
Our first school visit was to Bokwe School. This primary school had 900 students ages ranging from 5 years old to 19. Children were dressed in purple and green uniforms but none had any shoes. One class visited had 41 boys and 58 girls for a total of 99 students in a room no larger than an average Canadian classroom. The schools do not have electricity which became aparent during a thunderstorm that darkened the classrooms to the point that is was difficult to see the chalkboard. This did not stop any lessons and as the shutters banged against the glassless window openings, the children continued to work in the dark. The only resources aside from limited chalk, students workbooks and their pencils were the charts, hand drawn on old plastic sacks that may have once contained flour or rice. One lesson that was observed had the children discussing how they contribute to their households. Fetching water and wood for the fire and cooking were how they spent their time in the huts they live in.
The children were fascinated with the "Mzungus" (white people) and their first camera shy behaviour soon turned to fascination with having their pictures taken. Patricia and Monica became encircled by at least 100 children who stared at us and then began asking questions. What did we eat? What is our country like? We exchanged national anthems and even sang them Row Row Row Your Boat to which they applauded. This exchange helped everybody realize that we had more similarities than differences despite our skin colour, socio-economic status and cultures. Our visit ended with a performance by the children who sang and danced in traditional ways for us.
