What Would You Give To Have This Be You?

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Wonderful footage! Thanks for posting, Zooplantman.
 
that is absolutely fantastic!

Uganda has been on my to-do list for a while but its still a few years away yet unfortunately....
 
OMG!
In his place, I hope I would have made a few calming grunts, but I don't think I could have stopped myself from turning my head very slowly to sneak a look at the babies - however if I had caught a glimpse of the silverback I can only imagine the consequences . . .

Alan
 
Amazing!

Notice how at 2.45, the first youngster to inspect the man is gently 'moved on' by the silverback before he moves off the path himself.

A superb interaction.:D
 
I would give a lot!!!!

I can only imagine the feelings going through you as you sit there with all that going on behind you, euphoria, yet some fear, excitement yet anxious.

Fair to say the old adrenaline would have been rushing and for the rest of the day afterwards!
 
I've had the experience of a baby gorilla coming to me and getting to know me. That was, as you can imagine, unforgettable.
But to have that silverback come with his group and then stand beside you...! Aside from the smell, I think this would call for fresh underwear after.
 
I watched it several times again. Its interesting too how the Silverback does not show any(obvious) interest in the seated man, like some of the others- he just seems to ignore him.

Extra question- these are Bwindi gorillas- so are they more like Mountain or Eastern Lowlands in appearance?
 
Am I the only one who saw the movie 'Congo' and read Michael Crichton's novel of the same name.

Who on this forum is more of an 'animal encounter nut' than me? But Jesus, this is scary stuff! Many keepers in zoos across the world don't get into gorilla enclosures for their (i.e. the keeper's) safety. Surely having a group of WILD gorillas march through your camp and pick your hair must be extremely dangerous. If the guy got scared and spooked the silverback and he smashed his face in or something, well, gorillas would have reclaimed their 'King Kong' reputation.

Cool video, but man oh man, scary stuff. Don't get me wrong - this is high on my bucket list to do, and a work colleague is living my dream and doing this right now in Africa - but to me there is a huge difference between us observing them at a distance in their home, and them marauding through my camp on their terms.
 
Pertinax said:
Extra question- these are Bwindi gorillas- so are they more like Mountain or Eastern Lowlands in appearance?
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These are mountain gorillas in Bwindi. I saw this video a few days ago and it is incredible. I'm T-minus four weeks until I'll be in Vulcan National Park for a few days and then a week in Uganda..the waiting is brutal and this video just about put me over the edge!
 
nanoboy said:
Am I the only one who saw the movie 'Congo' and read Michael Crichton's novel of the same name.

Who on this forum is more of an 'animal encounter nut' than me? But Jesus, this is scary stuff! Many keepers in zoos across the world don't get into gorilla enclosures for their (i.e. the keeper's) safety. Surely having a group of WILD gorillas march through your camp and pick your hair must be extremely dangerous. If the guy got scared and spooked the silverback and he smashed his face in or something, well, gorillas would have reclaimed their 'King Kong' reputation.

Cool video, but man oh man, scary stuff. Don't get me wrong - this is high on my bucket list to do, and a work colleague is living my dream and doing this right now in Africa - but to me there is a huge difference between us observing them at a distance in their home, and them marauding through my camp on their terms.
Click to expand...
I'm a bit surprised by this reaction from you nanoboy, especially with your choice of wording such as "them marauding through my camp". There was no marauding going on, it was all very civilized indeed. The Bwindi gorillas are habituated troops and are quite used to tourists. The only difference is that on this occasion the troop came to the people instead of the people going to the troop. The only threat to tourists on gorilla watching tours has historically only been from actual guerillas.

(p.s. I have seen Congo, so that's at least two of us)
 
I might give several body parts and mortgage the house to be that guy. Fabulous! I agree it's dangerous for that wise man who sat so still, but I also fear for any habituated wild animal. I hope the controls on poaching are really, really good for the area. This troop might be sitting ducks for anyone out for bushmeat or babies to sell. Let's all hope they are safe now and forever.
 
Chlidonias said:
(p.s. I have seen Congo, so that's at least two of us)
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That's three of us. It was genuinely one of the worst movies that I have ever seen.

Seeing mountain gorillas is on my definite life list of things to do. I love how the silverback stops the youngster from playing with the guy until he settles in to supervise.
 
DavidBrown said:
That's three of us. It was genuinely one of the worst movies that I have ever seen.
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I like playing "spot the New Zealand plant" in movies like that. The jungles always contain NZ flax and/or cabbage trees....

(and for the Australians, there's usually a kookaburra calling somewhere during the movie....)
 
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