I was beginning to get a foreboding sense of doom. Trekking was slow as we walked around giant Teak trees or climbing over fallen hardwoods that now fed fungi and was now home to snakes, frogs, ants and every other creepy-crawly your imagination can conjure up. There are no hiking paths or trails through these ancient forests. Having a good camera strap to hold your camera and lens whilst walking is crucial as you need both hands-free while walking through the dense forest. Shutter speed will be low, no tripods, monopods or flash is allowed. Photographing in a rain forest with dim light levels and splashes of highlights from the overhead sun means challenging camera exposure settings. Be careful not to overpack as hours of trekking will eventually take its toll and tiredness will set in and make it increasingly difficult to keep hiking. As when it is not raining the humidity is high and continuous drops of water are falling from the giant hardwood leaves. Lightweight garden gloves are needed when you are hiking through the thick undergrowth as a lot of the tree branches have thorns.Ī lightweight camera system that is weather sealed is a must. Remember to tuck your trousers into your socks as the last thing you want is ants in your pants. Good waterproof boots will stop you from slipping and sliding. Wearing light durable breathing apparel is a must. Conditions, as expected, are wet underfoot and humid with the occasional rain showers. Kibale is home not just to primates and monkeys but to one of the largest populations of forest elephants that live alongside buffalos, giant hogs, leopards and 325 different bird species including the African crowned eagle.įor this assignment, my choice of gear was to be essential for a successful outcome. One of the last strongholds for chimpanzees. Kibale has one of the richest ecosystems in Africa and supports 60 species of mammal including 13 species of primates. It is 766 square kilometres in size and 1,600 meters above sea level. The chimpanzees I was photographing are to be found deep in the rainforests of Kibale national in southern Uganda. It was the latter, chimpanzees that would leave a lasting impression and one encounter in particular that would lead to an award-winning photograph. It was a fantastic opportunity to photograph mountain gorillas whose numbers are less than 1000 worldwide and chimpanzees whose numbers are under increasing threat from loss of habitat due to logging and oil drilling. The brief was about the impact of conservation tourism on local communities and wildlife. Not long ago I spent a week in Uganda on an assignment to photograph mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. Let me introduce myself, I am Peter Delaney, a wildlife photographer. The piercing eyes of the chimpanzee chilled me to the bone. I was acutely aware of the strength and power of these primates. Standing alone face to face with an alpha male chimpanzee meters away was exciting and unnerving. I can still vividly remember my first encounter with these human-like creatures.
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