Akagera: Part 3

So midway through the trip, the bees got a little bit more ridiculous. I had to figure out some tricky maneuvers to escape them. Mainly consisting of twirls and eventually smoking them out with the fire pit. Papaya hands down has been my go to fruit for breakfast, it is just so damn good. But the bees think so too. Not so good.

Today was a pretty incredible day. We got to see "Jess" she's a small little vervet monkey who on the last field school had a rotting arm and was forced to have it amputated by one of our professors. We went out searching through baboons and noticed a small little vervet perched alone on a building. Someone with binoculars glued to their face, point out her missing arm and the bus screeches to a halt as Professor Dieter gets out of the bus. Watching Jess recognize him was amazing. It truly was an intimate moment to witness.

 The next day after coming back we reliezed that baboons that Jess had been camping out with had attacked her. There is a problem where a lot of food is tossed out and Jess being as cute as she is gets the first bit from the humans which causes jealousy from the baboons. Which does not equate a good ending for Jess.

Jess's wounded eye

Jess is trying so hard to be integrated into a vervet group, and I am so hopeful for her recovery and integration. She truly is a special little soul.

Jess watching to boat tours.

Jess sitting on her "Dad's bike while he gives boat tours"

Dragon Tamer style

It's also really getting so fascinating really starting to recognize different baboon groups and individual baboons. We're even starting to give names. One group in particular have been given the name the "Broseph Saga" which is exactly what you would expect it to be. An alpha being a bro and ladies flocking over him and there being drama. But what really I've fallen in love with are baby baboon. They melt my heart. The infants tend to attach to their mothers in two ways. Horse back riding style or piggy back and occasionally under their stomach. 

Look it in the eye and tell me you don't love it.

The older they get the fuzzier they are.

On our way back from the tent we have a "friendly" surprise. Wilber a large male from last year has now decided he wants our food. Never a good decision… He's a crafty guy though. He wound up snagging a few things before being chased off. But on the dot every day he would stake out our camp..

The entire time we went to observe Mutware would also usually make an appearance. Or you would hear the towns people whisper "Mutware" and that would be the only part you could understand.