Uganda: Kibale NP – Chimpanzee Tracking

Chimpanzee tracking is undoubtedly best in the Kibale Forest National park and an absolute highlight – the highest numbers and the most habituated (used to humans) animals are here. Unlike gorillas, who mostly browse and stuff themselves with vegetation, chimps are much more mobile and harder to track. They spend a lot of time high in the tree canopy, or when they descend, they move through the forest very fast. Their diet is about 80% fruits (figs), 10% plants, and the remainder is meat in the form of other monkeys. Chimpanzee are out closest relatives sharing more than 90% of their DNA with humans. They live is social groups, they are very skilled tree climbers, they communicate with voices and sounds and gestures, they help each other, they built sophisticated nests in the trees, and when on the ground they can move very rapidly by knuckle walking (using their hand knuckles to support themselves). They are capable and quite comfortable walking on two legs. Observing them – you get a much broader behavior range than with gorillas, and the staring contest between you and them is something beyond unreal – almost like they understand you and are about to start talking to you.