LATEST IMAGES - CONGO REPUBLIC1
After much deliberating we decided to try and photograph lowland gorillas in the Congo Republic. We have already been to see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda and a visit there is relatively easy as is the photography. Lowland Gorillas are much harder but we thought it worth a try. They are most photographable in the bais of the Central African Republic but the political situation there makes a visit almost out of the question. The Congo Republic is relatively stable so we went ahead with booking a trip little realising Air France, the only easy carrier into the Congo Republic, would be on strike when we had booked. Eventually we managed to get to Brazzaville via Amsterdam and Paris and then took a charter flight into the rain forest. We had two treks to find the gorillas using a local guide. Both groups were partially habituated to humans but tracking them and finding them in open situations was very difficult. The vegetation was extremely thick and in some places bordered on the impenetrable. At one stage gorillas were only about 10 yards from us but we couldn't see them through the undergrowth. The second trek lasted about 5 hours and it rained heavily for all of the time which made for very challenging photography. Almost all of our images were of the gorillas in trees and against a grey bland sky which was less than ideal but nevertheless it was a great experience.
SILVERBACK NEPTUNE IN THE TREES
SILVERBACK IN THE MARANTACEAE
LOWLAND GORILLA
LOWLAND GORILLA SHELTERING FROM THE RAIN
LOWLAND GORILLA CLIMBING A TREE