A sanctuary worker feeds chimpanzees inside their cage. Photo/HALIMA ABDALLAH
It was a smooth sail. There was a point of convergence between the sky and the water — both were clear blue and calm.
It made our 90-minute trip by boat across the equator to Ngamba island breathtaking.
Fishermen could be seen all over the lake. In the background were scenic islands, each perhaps with an amazing story to tell.
Ngamba island is unique though — it tells the stories of chimpanzees.
“Would you imagine a chimpanzee starting a boat with an outboard engine and sailing off with it?” Lillian Ajarova, our guide and the executive director of the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, asked as soon we started off at the pier on Lake Victoria near the zoo.
“One day,” Ajarova continued, “Sunday the chimpanzee preferred to be alone on one side of the island. Then some fishermen came along, thinking that sanctuary workers were away. You see, we have a lot of fish around the island because we do not encourage fishing near the sanctuary.
“Sunday saw them and chased them away. They swam off and left their boat behind. Sunday managed to get into their boat, started the engine and chased them into the lake. The sound of the engine attracted our attention and we saw Sunday some metres in the waters. We rushed to get him back using a speedboat,” she said.
“Very interesting!” I said, as my curiosity to reach the venue grew even more.
Eventually we were there. An inscription: Welcome to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, is vivid as you dock.
Ngamba is the only island dedicated to the conservation of chimpanzees in East Africa.
There are 44 chimpanzees occupying the 98 hectares of forest.
The chimpanzees have been rescued either from circus cages, immigration points or from traps.
Globally, chimpanzees are an endangered species, with just 200,000 estimated to remain. In Uganda, the 2002 census estimated only 4,950 remaining.
Scientists say chimpanzees are mankind’s closest relatives, sharing with them about 98 per cent of DNA.
That explains why most biomedical tests are done on apes and chimpanzees before the same are sanctioned for humans.
Chimpanzees cannot swim, which is why the island is ideal to conserve them. Also, it reduces conflicts with humans.
What started as a chimpanzee rehabilitation and conservation effort 12 years ago has now become a tourist attraction. Over 5,000 tourists visit the island every year.
A non-governmental organisation, the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust, runs the sanctuary.
Ngamba island is ideal to relax and enjoy the contrast between the forest and the expanse of water.
There are a variety of birds and the combination of bird song is pleasant to the ear.
Ajarova, who is also the executive director of the sanctuary, said the island has 120 identified bird species.
There is a restaurant built in African style that serves almost any food of your choice. What is amazing here is the lack of fear that monitor lizards have of visitors.
All too often, they get uncomfortably close. These creatures, I learnt, lay their eggs just a metre from the restaurant’s dining tables.
“They keep watch just in case anyone tampers with their eggs,” said a sanctuary worker who showed us the place where the eggs were laid.
Scattered around the compound are a variety of trees, each with a biological value, either as medicine or food for the chimpanzees. Everything here is protected; even rainwater is harvested to reduce pressure on the lake.
There is a lot to see and do at Ngamba. One can play volleyball, relax on a swing by the lake, shop at a craft store, visit fishing villages, lounge in the restaurant, watch birds or spend time in a tent.
We chose to visit a nearby fishing village, a journey of about 10 minutes.
This adventure took us to Kome island where the sanctuary supports a primary school that serves five other islands, some 15 km away.
Environmental conservation is the norm here, as evidenced by the clean beaches.
Finally, it was chimpanzee viewing time. We stood on the visitors’ platform on the edge of the sanctuary’s electric fence to view the animals at lunch.
They are fed four times a day with eggs, fruit and porridge to supplement what they get from the forest.
Three sanctuary workers stood at a distance from each other on the platform, each with a bucket full of assorted fruit — watermelon, pawpaw, jackfruit and tomatoes.
They threw the fruits at random and the chimpanzees scampered with vigour to pick them.
Feeding time is the most interesting at the sanctuary. Not only will you see the greedy, the strong and the lazy ones, but you will learn the human side of the chimpanzees.
Aikum is among the 14-year-old chimpanzees. He moved closer to the platform, clapped his hands very loudly and pointed to his mouth, signalling that he wanted the fruits.
But he was ignored. He moved even closer to the caretaker, got a long stick and struck the ground hard with it, but the caretaker still ignored him.
Defeated, Aikum scampered for the fruits like the others.
“They have to find food for themselves in the forest. If I throw fruits directly at him, I will be encouraging him to be lazy and he will depend entirely on the food supplement we provide,” said caretaker Bruce Ainebyoona.
At the extreme end, Natasha, a female chimpanzee, grabs some fruit from Mika, the dominant male. He lets go of the fruit and moves to pick more from the ground.
“Ordinarily,” Ainebyoona explained, “Mika would not let go of the fruit. But he is courting her, so he has to be nice to her.”
Mika, hands full of fruit, then retires next to Natasha and the two enjoy their meal.
Although Natasha is the one showing signs of intimacy, Mika does not allow any other male to come close to her.
The chimpanzees are on contraceptives to avoid reproduction, owing to the limited space in the forest.
Back in a cage, two cubicles host two young chimpanzees. They are the newest members of the island society.
They played separate games: one with a ball and the other appeared to be practising gymnastics.
In another cubicle are two older chimpanzees, relaxing in their beds. But they get up as soon as we approach.
One of them picks up some foul droppings and throws them at us, missing.
Eventually it was time to depart for Entebbe. Somewhere in the middle of Lake Victoria, the boat came to a stop.
The waves were mild, and we enjoyed watching the setting sun, its rays reflected in the water.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” said the captain. “We are on the equator. We have been moving from the Southern Hemisphere and are now heading into the Northern Hemisphere,” he said. “We are really in the middle of the world!” I exclaimed.
Then the engine started again and we proceeded with our journey.
