More Time With The Hirwa Gorillas

Gorillas are considered babies until the age of 1, juvenile until the age of 4, adolescents are over 5 years of age, Blackback is a sexually mature of up to 11 years and Silverback is an adult male gorilla, typically more than age 12 (named for his distinctive patch of silver hair). Mountain Gorillas actually fall under the Eastern Gorilla sub-species. How do you tell one gorilla from another? Like humans, they have individual fingerprints but researchers look at their noses. No two gorilla noses are alike! The researchers take close-up photos of each gorilla’s face to help identify individuals

Gorillas are peaceful, family-oriented, plant-eating animals and the largest of the primates. We could vouch for all of the above...or they never would have allowed us to get anywhere near them...

group and gorillas

All of a sudden, the Silverback started running towards us. ...View image... Josh, wisely, threw himself into some bushes off the path. Francois shoved me into the same bushes. Nettles! When the gorilla had passed, Josh and I both stood up and starting picking stinging nettles out of our legs and hands. A few minutes later, a blackback walked slowly behind Lisa...View image
... A small price to pay for being so close to them...but scary at the time...

We followed Francois toward the gorillas' new location...a little brighter clearing...and almost the entire family was sitting there...waiting for their close-ups...View image...

...the entire Hirwa family, babies and all...

Hirwa family photo

and then we witnessed one of the most touching (if not the most heart-wrenching) animal incident I've ever seen. Mommy sat down by the Silverback in a submissive pose and her little baby scampered over to Daddy. This immense creature tenderly picked up baby, held it close to his face and, we could all swear, gave it a KISS! (Several of us started crying and even ex-Marine was caught brushing away a tear.) Silverback carefully placed the baby back on the ground and it went back to Mother, making little sounds.

Daddy, Mommy and Baby

...and then Mother took baby over the a tree for some tree-climbing lessons...

this is how you climb a tree

Two other gorillas also rushed over and climbed into the tree above us. Branches were shaking, leaves falling down on our heads, but all we hoped was the gorilla wouldn't jump or fall out of the tree on us.

Francois gave us 1+ hours with the Hirwa group until we had to tear ourselves away, down through the bamboo and brambles, hanging on sturdy branches, watching every foot placement ...View image...back over the lava wall for a short rest. A very exhilarated but tired group of people...it is difficult walking in mud...feet go every which way...