Photo previews
Pablo of Group 5
Pablo, proving that he’s big enough to knock me over. It’s just as well that I’ll be gone before he becomes a silverback.
Although abandoned by his mother at an early age, he would one day go on to form Pablo’s Group a large family group which would break all records in size at 65 members.
Silverback Icarus
Silverback Icarus of Group 5 sauntering across the grassy clearing called the Tourist Rest Spot halfway up the Porter Trail. He served peacefully as Beethoven’s secondary silverback within the group, assisting mightily to defend territory during interactions with other groups.
Today, people who climb the Mount Visoke, usually rest here before making the final ascent to the top with its crater lake. Another direction leads to the original site of Karisoke Research Center and Dian Fossey's grave among the gorillas she had named.
The Orphan Bonne Année
After a day with gorillas, me, Carolyn Phillips and Peter Veit, rest down by the creek that ran through camp. Our little gorilla orphan Bonne Année is nestled among us.
The baby had been confiscated from poachers, and one of Dian's biggest concerns was what to do with the little three-year-old before leaving Karisoke. Her decision was drastic and risky; the result culminated in an unforgettable ordeal. I write about this harrowing event, and the days leading up to it, during which I camped in the forest with baby Bonne Année. A herd of forest buffaloes provided a gruff and startling welcoming committee.