2019-10-01 Wanderlust

Yourfeetarewet,slidingandsquelchinginthe

muddyforestŽloor.Sweatbeesdancearound,

settlingonyourdampforeheadandarms.But

thehopeofmeetingoneofourclosestrelatives–

awesternlowlandgorilla–sharingover98%of

itsDNAwithhumans–keepsyourspiritshigh.

Gabon’sextensivenetworkofprotected

areas,notablyLopéandIvindoNationalParks,

hostsimportantpopulationsofthiscritically

endangeredspecies,althoughinfrastructureis

minimalandsightingsnotguaranteed.Loango

NationalPark,describedas‘Africa’slastEden’,

o’ersareasonablechanceofanencounterwith

thisenchantingape:onegorillagroup,named

Atananga,hasbeenhabituatedforseveralyears,

andtheprocessisbeingrepeatedwithanother.

However,don’tignoretheothercreaturesin

thepark’srainforestandAtlanticcoastline,many

rarelyseenelsewhere:redriverhog,sitatunga,

forestbu’alo,chimpandelephantroamthelush

foliage,whileleatherbackturtlesnestonthe

sandyshore,humpbackscruisepastandhippo

are,legendarily,reputedtosurf.

Toptip:Bookwellinadvance–gorilla-tracking

tripsarelimited–andbepreparedforamuddy

slogthroughtheforest.

Alsotry:EasterngorillasinBwindiImpenetrable

NationalPark,Uganda;westernlowlandgorillas

inOdzala-KokouaNationalPark,Congo.

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WHEN?

Thebesttimefor

gorillasightings

inLoangoisalso

thewetseason;the

creaturestravelless

widelybetween

JanuaryandMay.

The classic: Survey families of mountain

gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

ALTERNATIVE SECRET WILDLIFE EXPERIENCES

wanderlust.co.uk October 2019 109

The alternative: Watch western

lowland gorillas in Gabon

Naturepl