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It’s THE long awaited morning......We make Expedition! Our gear has long been in preparation and our inclination to go is high.
As artist of this first expedition, my highly anticipated wait is now over. My dreams of descending deep into the Lebialem Highlands seeking the “Cross River Gorilla” are now being realized.
We will have to make a steep 5km descent down slippery pathways consisting of boulders and rock like trail formations. The path was rarely level and rarely would we rest until we reached our first base camp.
Louis Nkembi and Daniel Taylor
(Photo: ACF/ Arend de Haas )
It was hot and humid even though the mountain air is considered quite cool compared to the valleys below. Our back packs, each weighing about 60 - 70lbs, are loaded with food goods, camping materials, water, cameras and so forth. I am also carrying other essential items such as art supplies and my journal. Thankfully, porters are provided to carry our other equipment and materials for this two day trip.
Down, down we descend watching the vegetation quickly change before our eyes. We realize we are now entering the habitat of the gorillas and chimps. This is an area never visited by tourists.
Our guide is a man we call “Play-Boy” due to the fact that the compound we are staying in consists of his many wives and children. When asked how many children he has he replies, ”I'm not sure 20, 30 children… lots". At one time he was a farmer and had to kill the gorillas that would raid his fields. In protection of his plantations and for the “bush meat” his large family required, he recalls, "I was forced to shoot these amazing animals as well as the chimps but, now no longer as all the gorillas and chimps are forced away to distant areas". These are the very same distant locations we will try to penetrate in hope of finding the ever elusive Cross River Gorillas.
Lebialem Highlands
(Photo: ACF/ Arend de Haas )
Along the trail we realize that there is a lack of forest sounds. There are no noises made by monkeys and other mammals and most birds.........They are all gone! They have been killed or frightened away. This reminds us that these forests in Cameroon are known as truly "Silent Forests”. A name we wished never existed.
Only a third of the way into our trip I was struck with a high fever that we would soon discover was dysentery. We believe I may have gotten it from a local meal that I had eaten just a couple of days prior. My legs were feeling weak and at times I shook uncontrollably. I quickly became dehydrated and often had to run into the forest to take care of other symptoms. Needless to say I fell behind the team but urged them to continue on. Ginette and Arend seem to have understood this and had the team wait periodically so that I could catch up and not lose my way in this dense jungle. I feel quite proud of Ginette as she continues on her way. She does not complain, even with such a difficult task of carrying her amazingly heavy back pack. She is strong in every way!
As the predicted heavy forest rains begin to fall upon the canopy above we start to get wet. As for me, this rain is a blessing as it keeps me cool from my ever present fever.
At long last we make it to camp. It’s a small plot of earth consisting of a hut that “Play-Boy'’ had once used as a station home. It overlooks the forest valleys far below. What an amazing view! This, we are told, is the second level area in which to survey and search for the gorillas. Now, there is a much steeper descent that we must travel down immediately if we want to reach the valley before the quickly approaching night. Ginette and I consider this but, then request to stop and we sleep over night here.
As a cool thick mist settles in, we commence setting up a cold-camp in our wet clothes. Luckily, we find some damp clothing at the bottom of one of our cases and quickly change. We then make a dinner by applying water to one of our dehydrated food packs and eating some packaged salmon. It all tastes wonderful on our empty stomachs.
As I recount this day, I note that we saw some gorilla nest sites. Gorillas make a nest every evening. Our other team members also found several trails and feedings signs but in a different section.
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”The AFC Flag Expeditions Program
is a unique program established and operated by the Artists For
Conservation Foundation™ (AFC), making possible the artistic field
study and rendering of species or habitats deserving of greater public
attention. There is a strong emphasis on the study of unique,
threatened habitats, and rare or endangered species in remote parts of
the world."
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