En route to Africa!

Hello/Bonjour to everyone reading this!

Well I'm off on another African Adventure... this time deep into the "Heart of Darkness" - the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I will be managing a research station where the main species of study is the bonobo (Pan paniscus), otherwise commonly known as the pygmy chimpanzee. Very little is known about this fascinating primate, as the DRC has been blighted by over 100 years of war, rendering it difficult and challenging for research to take place in this largely uncharted country.

The research station/camp, Lui Kotal, is owned by the Max-Planck Institute of Germany and is home to a handful of international researchers and Congolese workers. It is situated in Salonga National Park (Africa's largest national park) and is thus completely isolated. It is a 3 hour hike to the closest village, and the camp is another 2-3 hour hike and 3 hour charter plane ride from Kinshasa, the capital of DRC. It will be my job to manage everything that goes on at the camp (including maintenance of the camp infrastructure!) ;-) and to hopefully be able to oversee and help out with some of the research. The camp was set up in 2002, and studies the behavioural ecology of bonobos (pictured above and below).

Although I will miss all of you very much, I feel compelled to pursue this dream of mine... a dream of living amongst and studying primates, that I've had ever since I was a wee girl. Perhaps this innate passion of mine to travel to the Congo stems from my Great Great Great Grandmother's cousin - the famous Scot, Dr. David Livingstone. ;-) I am hopeful that my undergraduate and masters degrees (in anthropology, biology, primate conservation, and French) will equip me with the knowledge to undertake this challenging adventure and post, and that God will be with me each step of the way.

I hope to continue posting journal entries to this site during my 9 month period away, so be sure to check back for future updates if you are interested.

In the meantime... all the best to all of you!

Heidi

Bonobos

"You're going to be studying what??"

The blank and confused facial expressions that I've met while telling people that I'm going to manage a bonobo research camp led me to post the above photos. Bonobos are similar to the famous chimpanzee, but differ significantly in their behaviour and ecology, and even in their appearance (more gracile in form, longer upper limbs, darker colouration, etc.). Lots of information about this endangered ape can be found on the internet, or by talking to Owen - my 3-year old nephew. ;-)