Along with being named National Geographic Society’s Explorer of the Year in 2015, de Merode is perhaps most widely known for the 2014 movie ‘Virunga’, which follows a team of brave individuals who risk their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas in the chaos of civil war.
Although the DRC is currently under a travel advisory for Canadians, we can still support this worthwhile cause by visiting the Gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda, and by creating some awareness of the dire situation across the border in the DRC.
Climbing steadily through a steep and intensively farmed landscape, the group eventually enters the national park. At times the incline is steep and the vegetation dense except where elephants have demolished a few trees overnight. It can take up to six hours to locate your particular gorilla family.
Once the trackers have located the gorilla family, they tell everyone to leave their bags with the porters. Walking sticks are also left behind – mountain gorillas may be habituated to human visitors, but they also harbour bad memories of spear-wielding aggressors.
Cameras at the ready, the group moves forward quietly. Who knows when you’ll round a clump of trees and see the first primate swinging – literally – into view, dropping nonchalantly from branch to branch. Cameras will go into a frenzy, but no flash is allowed. As your group moves in, ducking, stretching and weaving your way through the undergrowth until you find the silverback whose family this is: a huge male, who can weigh up to 220 kg, and who – unlike the females – looks every kilo. He sits with his back to you, being groomed by two much smaller males.
Some people squat to be photographed with the silverback. You’re supposed to keep a seven-meter distance but that’s not always possible, especially when the younger gorillas come over to investigate. If they get within touching distance, one of the trackers will grunt in a very convincing impersonation of the gorilla sound for ‘back off’.
An hour later, your very exhilarated trekking group reluctantly takes their leave from the gorillas and heads back to the vehicle. You may have seen ten or more gorillas, magnificent creatures, relaxed and playful, with facial expressions that so closely resemble humans’ that you believe you know exactly what they’re thinking.
It’s good to see wild creatures who seem to have no fear of us.
