HIDE AND SEEK

The western lowland gorilla is not as familiar as its mountain cousin, but the forests of Central Africa are gradually revealing the secrets of this elusive ape

- ANDY SKILLEN

AT FIRST, I THOUGHT I WAS HALLUCINATING. But as I closed my eyes and concentrated every synapse I could muster, I could hear it. It was almost imperceptible through the whining drone of a million cicadas, but it was definitely there; a contented, low grunt surpassing in tone and resonance the deepest bass from any choir I'd ever listened to.

I peered into the gloom. Surrounding me was Marantaceae, a glossy, impenetrable mass of plant life that dominates the forest floor; above, most of the sky was obliterated by a tetris-like canopy of kapok, fig, ebony and Panda oleosa.

This was the Ndzehi Forest, in the northwestern reaches of the Republic of the Congo. A few metres ahead, my tracker, Zeferin, had turned from super-sensed ape-seeker to landscape gardener. Using his secateurs, he made a series of minor adjustments to our surroundings, bending a branch back here and clipping a leaf away there to free up just enough space for me to crouch down. A silent beckoning meant it was time to adorn my face mask; our quarry was close.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy Skillen has been a wildlife photographer and photojournalist for over 25 years, and has worked across the globe. @andyskillenphoto; faunavista.com

The stage was set and even the cicadas, as if anticipating the overture of a major stage show, fell silent. A combination of sweat and insect repellent eased its way into my eyes as I watched the wall of vegetation ahead, imagining that perhaps, like a set of theatre curtains, it would dramatically part to reveal an opening chorus. The low grunting became louder, accompanied by a rhythmic cracking of stems.