Congo Chimpanzee Trekking
Congo Chimpanzee Trekking is another primate activity you can add on your Congo safari besides the mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park. The Democratic republic of Congo is a rich and unexplored country with a lot of tourism potentials waiting to be discovered by you. As you still glare at the marvelous Nyiragongo volcano in Virunga national park, the chimpanzee trekking is another mind-blowing activity conducted inside the wildlife-rich Congo forests. The chimpanzees in the democratic republic of Congo are found in different destinations scattered on the eastern side of the country. Some chimpanzees are located in kahuzi beiga national park where they stay harmoniously with the lowland gorillas. You can also find chimpanzees in mahura forest with in Virunga national park, and it is not surprising when you came across the mountain gorillas which dwell in the highlands of Virunga ranges.
What are chimpanzees?
The chimpanzees are one of the great apes of Africa and they have lived in peace within the tropical rain forest of east, central, and west Africa including the Democratic republic of Congo, Kibale forest in Uganda and Nyungwe forest of Rwanda among other places. The chimpanzees are omnivorous animals which feed on green plants together with some other small animals. There are several subspecies of the chimpanzees in the democratic republic of Congo and other parts of Africa, these include the robust chimpanzees, bonobo chimpanzees, and these are the most common types of chimpanzees. However there are some other chimpanzee species in the different forest on the African continent; some of the chimpanzee species are named basing on the area where they come from such as the West African chimpanzees among others.
However, the most common chimpanzees in the democratic republic of Congo are the “pan troglodytes”; these are the common chimpanzees and are also the ones trekked by the visitors in the democratic republic of Congo. However, you can also spot the other chimpanzees with in the forests during the chimpanzee trekking. You can also see a lot of other animals with in the rich forest of the democratic republic of Congo when you go for chimpanzee trekking. The chimpanzees are believed to the closest apes to humanity, and there is a myth that man evolved from the chimpanzees of Africa. Also, the chimpanzees share about 98% of the human DNA.
The chimpanzees of Congo are also fruit eater, however, they are selective on which fruits they eat. The chimpanzees love to ripen fruits and are commonly found around the fruit trees in the forest during the fruit ripening season. The chimpanzee also feeds on the leaves, seeds, stems, pith and tree barks among others. However, don’t get surprised when you find a chimp holding a mongoose dead; they also prey on the small forest animals like the rodents among others.
The chimpanzees are endangered animals according to the IUCN red list. Despite the fact that the chimpanzees are the most abundant and widespread apes or primates in the African tropical forests, there is a fluctuating decline in the population of the chimpanzees. The Congo government is fighting to sustain the chimpanzees in the Congo forests, but the fact that the chimps are poached for meat has almost made the chimpanzee conservation programs very hard to achieve. Also, the loss of chimpanzee habitats due to modernization and human settlement elevates the rate at which chimpanzees are getting extinct. Therefore, if you think that it is too early for you to come for chimpanzee trekking in Congo, it is better you book for your chimpanzee trekking activity in Congo.
Chimpanzee trekking in Congo
Basing to different kinds of literature and publications, the democratic republic of Congo harbors about half of the world’s chimpanzee population. It is this chimpanzee population that keeps the travellers branching off for the Congo for chimpanzee trekking activity. Virunga national park is one other the chimpanzee trekking destinations in Congo. Virunga national park has over 32 habituated chimpanzees in the forest living mainly in mahura forest which is located in the northern part of Virunga national park; it is where also the Virunga national park headquarters are found in Rumangabo.
Most of the chimpanzees in mahura forest within Virunga national park have been habituated for visiting. When you visit Virunga national park, you can also join in with the chimpanzee habituating team. Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park is a chance for you to see a lot of other forest creatures like the mountain gorillas, the golden monkeys, blue colobus monkeys, the vervet monkeys and, fortunately, the pygmy monkeys of the eastern Congo forest. The chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park starts in the morning around 6 am, and only a group of 6 people is allowed to join the team for chimpanzee trekking. You are allowed a one hour time to interact with the habituated chimpanzees of the Mahura forest in Virunga national park. The interaction time during the chimpanzee trekking in Congo gives you a chance to learn a lot about the chimpanzees’ behaviors, feeding patterns, copulation among others.
Other places where you can find the chimpanzee in Congo include the Lwiro chimpanzee sanctuary. Lwiro chimpanzee sanctuary is located in the southeastern part of the democratic republic of Congo. Lwiro is close to a town called Bukavu with in the democratic republic of Congo. The lwiro chimpanzee sanctuary will only offer you a time to watch the rescued chimpanzee which are protected here for rehabilitation programs. There are over 80 chimpanzees in lwiro chimpanzee sanctuary which are ready to be visited by the visitors to the democratic republic of Congo.
Jeunes Animaux confisques au Katanga (Jeunes Animaux confisques au Katanga) is another place where you can go for chimpanzee tours. Jeunes Animaux confisques au Katanga is located within the central part of the democratic republic of Congo in the city called Lubumbashi. Jeunes animaux confisques au Katanga is a home for over 30 chimpanzees which are young, 17 mature females and 18 male chimpanzees. The chimpanzees in Jeunes animaux confisques au Katanga are collected from the different parts of Congo, and others from the hands of the poachers in the eastern side of Congo, and the rest from the market places being sold as pets and domestic animals to meat-eaters.
What to carry for chimpanzee trekking in Congo
you should remember to carry your documents such as the visa, the permits, the yellow fever vaccination certificate, among other important documents. There might be a lot of restrictions at the border entry points of the democratic republic of Congo. However, having all your valid documents can save you from delays at the border.
Also, remember to carry enough clothes which blend in the jungle environment plus rubber boats suitable for hiking in the forests. The camera should be your friend because there is a lot more to see besides just the chimpanzees. Take a pair of binoculars too, if you have one, it will be of help if at all you would like to see birds from a far distance. Carry a raincoat, insect repellant, water and at least a fruit bar for the late breakfast.
You can visit the Democratic Republic of Congo at any time of the year for chimpanzee trekking. You can also enjoy other activities like cultural encounters, mountain gorilla trekking, mikeno mist safari, Nyiragongo hike adventure and birding with in Virunga national park among others.
