Mitumba - When the chimps cross into Mitumba, B record researchers must take over. (Photo: JGI)

Since
I needed a target to follow, we hiked to Rutanga where the rest of
the group had moved on from Linda. When we finally got there, I found that the
chimps had dispersed about the river valley to feed. I located the
adolescent Zeus traveling with his mother Trezia, younger siblings Zella and
Zinda, and the G family – Gremlin, Gaia, Glitter, Golden, and Gimli. The
two families lounged and groomed for over half an hour until the rest of the
chimps arrived. The males Tubi, Gimble, Pax, Apollo, and Kris arrived
with Flirt, Schweini, Hope, Eliza, Candy and her infant Cocoa. Zeus had a play
session with Flirt, which was an unusual match-up. They do not have a
noteworthy relationship, but for some reason they took great amusement in each
other today.

I
had just squeaked in my last observation of Zeus for the hour when the chimps
did the inevitable – they crossed the Njia ya Watu boundary. My assistant and I
sat on the trail and waited as the B record researchers followed the group into
Mitumba. It was only about 2:30 p.m., so we knew there was a chance for the
group to come back before the end of the day.

The
gamble paid off. After over two and a half hours of waiting, the group came
back. Since my only possible target was Zeus, I followed him again. The female
Nasa had joined the group, and Gimble and Candy seemed to have dropped out, but
otherwise, the group was the same. Shortly after the group crossed back, they
started eyeing the colobus in the trees and attempted to hunt
for about 45 minutes. Tubi, at some point, caught himself a little one, but
otherwise, I didn't see much success for the effort. As the hour grew late the
group disintegrated a bit as they all sought out their nesting spots for the
night.