I often joke with advisors and their clients that we have a tracking device on the head wildebeest and the lead zebra of the migratory herds in East Africa, and it always gets a good chuckle. We notify them by Morse code when to start converging and where to start crossing. It may be a joke; however, think about what we will witness in the coming months: the greatest show on Earth. In what part of the world do this many living beings, not of the same species, behave in such a routine over and over, and in such concert? Where else can you find a symbiotic relationship such as that between the birds, the zebra, and the wildebeest with one common goal – preservation.
Knowing the movements of these herds is not a story of simply following a cycle, it is a science. For example, wildebeest travel 6 miles a day, every day, and can hit strides of up to 50 miles per hour in a burst. They are the true drivers of the herd movement; the others follow the wildebeest, relying on their scent and those annoying grunts and groans we hear as a form of communication regarding the path or dangers ahead. Step back and think about what we hear and what purpose those sounds serve. With the position of their eyes, Zebra has some of the best peripheral vision one would want. Their ears can turn in directions and hear at octaves humans simply can’t comprehend. Imagine being able to see and hear better than anyone, and every footprint, every heartbeat, every sound. This truly is the Greatest Show on Earth, for all the reasons we see and so many we don’t.
The best part is that the communication lines with guides on the front line in the bush have never been better, so when we see their reports, it is like you have a tracking device on the head wildebeest. We can pinpoint the exact spot the herds have reached with good proximity. In fact, I loved that just this morning, I was able to talk to one of my friends, who runs an amazing camp in Northern Serengeti. I told her the herds are due south of you, passing through the western corridor and approaching fast. “Are you ready ?” I asked. I started laughing when she told me that I may have been a zebra in my past life! We talked about all the rain in the Masai Mara and how a full river would impact the crossing. We even noticed that the herds were a few weeks behind their normal schedule, startled at how far they were from the crossing in the north, these amazing animals sensed what was happening and adjusted their pace.
So, get ready the show is about to begin!
In the third and final dispatch from my annual East Africa adventure with our advisor partners, I find myself back in Uganda, one of my favorite places. My love of this country goes far beyond the amazing gorilla interactions and biodiversity. It’s the people. Now before you roll your eyes, let me explain.
Back in July 2003, just after I was married, my wife and I were on our way to Africa. En route, we stopped in London to visit her grandparents. For those of you don’t know, Purvi’s family was forced out of Uganda, among the many thousands of Indians Idi Amin exiled. Her grandparents, past 100 years in age, recounted their experience in detail. As I was from Kenya, my family and were very familiar with Idi Amin and what was happening there. This was the first time, however, that I heard this story firsthand, and I hung onto every word. As I think back to that time, its amazing how far Uganda has come with tourism now a top five export and foreign investment welcomed.
There are a few countries in the world that exemplify the power of tourism, Rwanda, Colombia, and recently Sri Lanka and Uganda. These are modern miracles, transformed by tourism, and the benefits include Uganda’s relative stability and a growing gorilla population. The partnership between the gorilla trekking initiatives in Bwindi and the community partnership with the Batwa tribes is an ambitious initiative with a clear goal in mind. It is this transformation that draws me into countries like this. They are real-life examples of sustainable tourism at work. Of course, it’s not perfect, then again when is anything absolutely without roadblocks.
Then there is the gorilla experience. This latest visit was a bit different. During my habituation experience, my guide, Lamech, was a familiar face. Pre-pandemic, we were on a previous trek together in a different part of Uganda. Though we had not spoken in years, we each remembered that time and were both grateful to see that the other was still in this industry post-pandemic. Even the experience was different from all previous experiences in both Rwanda and Uganda. This time, I revisited a family I had been tracking for a year. I fully expected the Silverback to be challenged as the Blackback was almost ready last visit. Instead, as you will see in the accompanying video, I had the honor of seeing a 3-week-old gorilla, brought into this world by one of the older females. Watching each mature male come down off the tree and visit with the mother and baby, even hugging, was a sight I still can’t stop thinking about. For the many times I have tracked the gorillas in both Rwanda and Uganda, I may be a bit desensitized to the adrenalin and impact. Nope, it’s still the same rush.
