Ferdinand relaxing in forest

I was lucky to catch Ferdinand in his characteristic pose on a day that I brought my camera into the forest. When the group is resting, he can frequently be found on his back with one leg crossed over the other, often with a hand behind his head. The song “It’s Good to be King” by Tom Petty always comes to mind when I see him in this position. He appears to simply be reveling in his status as alpha male of the Kasekela community.   Continue reading →

Colobus monkey sitting in tree at Gombe National Park

So far, in the short amount of time I’ve spent at Gombe, I have seen quite a few hunts. While most hunts happen high in the tree tops, hidden behind dense vegetation, I recently snagged a prime viewing spot for one of these events, and it was quite a sight to see. 

It was mid afternoon when I began hearing the alarm calls of Colobus monkeys high in the trees. The chimps evidently heard them too because many of the males quickly took off towards the sounds, leaving the females and less motivated males behind. When I got into position I saw about a half dozen Colobus high in a tree. Soon, I spotted Frodo, the group’s most enthusiastic hunter, beginning to slowly climb up the trunk. This caused quite an uproar up above. Continue reading →