What an amazing experience – I was about 10ft away from a huge male silverback gorilla and although we did our best to keep our distance in relation to the risk of disease spread – we didn’t have a lot of choice about it. One of the blackbacks (juvenile male – they become silverbacks around the age of 10-12yrs when they go through puberty and develop the badge of seniority of the silverback) came right up to us to check us out. The group seemed calm and didn’t mind our intrusion in the least – well accustomed to tourists popping up for an hour each day. It really was a special expedition and we all enjoyed it immensely. We’re all a bit beat – it was an uphill 10km hike through dense forest – but worth every step.
Dazzling facts about gorillas before I forget them: They live in stable polygamous groups lead by a dominant male called a silverback whose job is to protect them all from danger. The main dangers being man, leopards preying on the small ones and rival males trying to steal away the females. You can get more than one silverback in a group but it be his sons and they would only be there until they have enough confidence to branch out and try to establish their own family units. The females are attracted to powerful males, females born in a particular group will leave it about 8 years of age and go to another group – this helps genetic propagation of the species. They produce normally one offspring ever 3-4yrs, gestation is 8.5-9months, and they can live for up to 50years. The groups typically comprise 5-60 gorillas. What else – they have prominent bony ridges but the key reason for this is that it not only protects the eyes when going through dense foliage but it means the facial skin has a lot of flexibility and maximises their ability to perform a wide range of facial expressions – a bit like Nathan – allowing them to communicate with other family members. Silverbacks are about 180cm tall, weigh about 300kg and if they tried to take Adam’s camera you would pay tickets to see the result. Sadly, Adam might not keep his camera in that one. Infants are weaned about 4-5 years of age but move to their mothers backs from the bellies at 5months. Marc was a particularly attractive target for one baby who went right up to him and fixed him with a beady eye. I think it wanted to groom him but realized the challenge would be too great.
In a nutshell, gorillas are great – they are on the road to recovery (there are only 800 left in the world), but numbers are increasing mainly thanks to the tireless efforts of dedicated conservationists who are championing their cause. There is no denying it is a fragile process though. Ecotourism, despite the good it does, risks a viral epidemic amongst the habituated groups (based on today’s experience contact is a given despite the 7metre ruling), climate change is affecting rainfall and global warming the vegetation. Deforestation is destroying the habitats and we need to make every effort to preserve, protect and cherish the plant and the wonderful animals within.
On other news – washing has finally been done – took a few days to dry but great to have another change of clothes, Unfortunately for the man who brought me the washing, I was in the bath at the time (no showers – it’s a tented camp so sort of outdoor bath thing) and he decided that rather than come into the bathroom to collect his tip, he would high tail it out of there without witnessing a spectacle of me in the tub. Very wise. Nathan wants to go on a camera course, Marc is upset because we got messed around by one of the Ugandan vets who let us down at the last moment to show us a lab, and Adam is shattered after a hardcore day of filming in extreme situations – Simon (cameraman from Peru and Nepal) would be proud to have a companion on the pantheon of extreme cameramen. I am blissfully happy to have seen the gorillas – wish I could have taken Cords and Noah to see them, they would have loved it, (Noah would have been right up to the silverback like a shot and caused all sorts of chaos) but a good plan to come back in years to come and hopefully do it again....Continue reading
13hours of death defying driving constituted today. Marc, Adam and myself split the driving with Adam nailing the night drive section with virtually no functioning headlights – he said he felt very responsible for us all – touching stuff when you are bleeding from your knuckles gripping the seat. Nevertheless, we are once again here in Kampala safe and sound. Astonishing news is that Nathan slept – almost the whole way. Very impressive.
Met up with Dave the aerial cameraman who is at this stage becoming a good friend – albeit a surreal one who I only meet in completely random places around the world. This is definitely a moment to flag up the amazing patience, dedication, work ethic and thoroughness of Pascal and Andrew from AJ Tours who have painstakingly organized all the logistics for this trip. Really great guys and if anyone ever comes to Uganda through WVS or otherwise, you’d be making a mistake not to have them looking out for you and making sure everything goes to plan....Continue reading
The big aerial day with David the pilot and David the cameraman. Full on David-David action and they made some magic shots. Adam joined in to direct things and we kick started early hours (luxury 4 hours kip last night) with first a trip to see Angie and her gang at the rhino sanctuary. They took me along for this bit and I then proceeded to stand in the bush about 20metres away from a wild bull rhinoceros as the helicopter flew overhead. As the rhino charged from the bush directly towards me, I turned to see that Godfrey the ranger had promptly left me for dust and Adam has a great shot of me legging it from a clearing as a 2 tonne rhino crashes past. Thankfully the rhino settled down pretty quickly and didn’t seem to mind the helicopter once it got used to the noise and I had no idea I could run at that sort of speed – and neither did anyone else....Continue reading
I love aerial day!...Continue reading
So, it’s my last shoot day of the whole series and it’s been one hectic ride. Unfortunately I’m going to be back in the office editing during the final trip to Costa Rica so I finish now. First of all I would like to say a big warm thank you to AJ Tours in Uganda who have been tremendous throughout: Pascal, Andrew, Adam and Thierry have been brilliant help to us all and are really amazing people. If you ever venture to Uganda I would highly recommend you contact them....Continue reading
Big last day – lots and lots to do beore our flight at midnight, but it went with a blur and we managed to squeeze everything in. Yes, we did catch the dog and it was a big op… Pascal saw us off with a fantastic congolese dinner – delicious. What a great guy and all his team were all there to send us off; Andrew, Thierry, Adam and Lawrence from Ngamba also joined us which was great. Really lovely way to finish the trip and remember the great people we have worked with and met....Continue reading
This is it, the last shoot. Time has flown like you wouldn’t believe. I can still remember the first shoot in Malawi back in March!! Painfully remember Marc, Nathan and myself fretting about storylines, the pressure of working with a first time presenter and here we are ten months down the line, 5 programmes already edited and at Sky waiting for broadcast and all I can say is what an experience! It has got better and better the more time has gone by....Continue reading
Happy New Year!! The last two weeks have gone with a blur but Christmas for the Gambles was a total winner. Noah was on form, presents galore and it was the fantastic glut of food, drink and great company that you can’t possibly go wrong with. I scored some serious points on the karma front – at least three church attendances – possibly four – so I am feeling pure and spiritually sound. I even gave away my Nintendo DS lite to a small orphan – I say mine, it was a freebie to PetAir – but that isn’t the point, I’m hoping it still counts in Gods eyes. I love the Christmas services, although I do feel a bit sorry for all the regular church goers who have their congregation invaded by the people like me who are trying to make up for lost time towards the end of the year. Obviously you get double points for Christmas services so the Church becomes a hub of the community. ...Continue reading
So this is my first ever overseas shoot, and the last shoot of the series for the rest of the crew. I shall be taking the role of Nathan, I agree with Luke, big shoes to fill! He’s given me a good brief of what I shall be doing so I’m all set and raring to go. I’m all a tad excited to experience working and exploring a country such as Costa Rica. Still unsure of what to expect and what I’m going to see, making it truly an adventure....Continue reading
Before I can practice as a vet in Costa Rica and work with the charities here, I have to undergo a mandatory training programme on advanced spay and neuter techniques. It’s a bit like resitting my finals again – 11 years later – and I need to get my stripes so the Costa Rican veterinary authorities can be sure I am up to the job. Bit of a trek to get to the training centre but it should be really interesting as apparently they practice a very different technique to the one I am used to – so fingers crossed I pass the exam! The training programme is being run at a big shelter at the top of an inactive volcano – amazing drive but the road is ‘extreme’ (as Simon would say) and the car took a heck of a battering on the way up. Great views and look forward to what’s in store tomorrow. I’m being trained up by the head vet of the McKee foundation so no messing about there and the spotlight will be on. Apparently this vet can spay 100 dogs a day (which is a lot) and he averages four minutes an operation from opening incision to final suture. If it is true, he will beat my Indian friend who currently holds the record at seven minutes 17 seconds and even more impressive is that this vet apparently has no assistants during the operation....Continue reading
