We're nervous and excited at the same time because we're flying on the congolese airline TAC, then crossing the river by boat to Kinshasa and manage to get our 15 suitcases full of equipment and data from the last two months through customs.
most of all i cant wait to see the bonobos and see how they have changed.
Brian and I will be sad because Molou died and will miss her. http://www.friendsofbonobos.org/news/?p=71
But on the brighter side there are some new orphans who seem to be survivors. Bonobos often die when they first come to the sanctuary b/c they are so fragile and loose the will to live without their mothers - this is very different than chimps who are more robust against their ill fate. So we are curious to meet these new orphans and learn all about their personalities at the nursury.
there are at least 3 new babies, this one is Eleke who was found by the side of the road.
Also it will be fun to to see Solanga with her new baby.
the big question for our work over the next weeks will be whether the dorm is going to work. we built and big gerbil cage for the bonobos with lots of interlocking rooms that we can use to play all sorts of games with them, but they are so anxious about new things we just are not sure how they are going to react . it could be that none of our tests will work and brian will cry.
