Page 16 - 2017 RWANDA

the gorillas and the other primates and this first visit with the wild

gorillas did nothing to dissuade me.

All too soon we heard the 1-hour alarm go off on the ranger's wrist and

we knew this experience was ended. But, no, just about that time the

family began to move around, even the somnolent silverback. They

moved slowly on all fours but with considerable dignity—except for the

youngsters who were still gamboling in the trees. The small baby was
lifted by its mother to be carried off. But the group moved in different

directions—some following the silverback, moving off to the right of

where we human primates stood and others heading left.

The ranger signaled we could move along behind the animals and so we

saw them in other places but only for very short times. And as I and

some others went with Avit to the left, one of the youngsters brushed
my right leg lightly as he shoved his way through the dense foliage. We

had been warned not to touch a gorilla no matter how close it might

approach us so I obeyed the order and did not reach down to feel the

youngster's coat. Because of the confusion of the gorillas departing in

different directions, we actually got a little more than an hour among
them!

What a privilege and a treat to observe them so closely. We were

definitely much closer to these apes than we had been when in front of

the Mwamba pride of lions!

Though I am fairly sure that we descended from the park on the same

trails we climbed, I really do not remember much about the descent

except that Fidel and Anastaze kept me on pace with the others and

never let me slip or fall. We thanked them both heartily and gave them
a generous tip in addition to their regular fee!