Macumba, Icon of Gorilla Conservation, Has Passed Away
“Stay where you are. Don’t move,” German primatologist Daniela Hedwig was whispering into a loud gorilla shouting. “It is OK, just don’t move,” she repeated, and I wondered if I should pick up my camera and try to take the photo of my life. I had already tried to imagine this situation before and I had always ended up running away in a panic – which would have been the worst thing I could do. A few seconds ago, a silverback male of lowland gorilla stopped in a threatening posture only five metres in front of me. Makumba.
Macumba, photo: Miroslav Bobek, Czech Radio
Of course, it was a misunderstanding. We accidentally got in between Makumba and two of his females. It was probably Bombe, who started the fuss. What else could Makumba do than to show off properly…?
Many years have passed since my meeting with Makumba that took place in Dzana Sangha in the south-west of Central African Republic. But I was still following Makumba and his family from a distance. But exactly one week ago, unfortunately the worst news came: Makumba died.
Soon I learned that he lost his life at night from 14 to 15th May as a result of a fight with a lonely male. Similar skirmishes between the aging Makumba and younger males who sought his leadership had occurred before, but the news of his death was still shocking.
Makumba was more than 45 years old and during his time he fathered at least eighteen young, which he had with six females. Makumba’s and his family’s habituation – i.e. getting them used to the presence of people – started in 2000, when he was twenty. Later he became the true icon and symbol of conservation of both Dzanga Sangha as well as of lowland gorillas. He was the hero of many documentaries, his photos have travelled around the world many times, a number of scientific papers were created thanks to him (including also papers of the Czech team led by Klára Petrželková from the Academy of Science), and last but not least about ten thousands tourists, who brought considerable financial resources, have visited him.
Makumba was the first gorilla male, whom I have seen in the wild. And although our first meeting was somewhat strained, during following meetings I learned that he was the peaceful leading male of the gorilla family. I will never forget his massiveness and elegance. He fulfilled my big dream. And his photos, which I once took in Dzanga Sangha, will help us in Prague Zoo, just as they have done until now, to inform about the gorilla life in Central Africa and win over the public for their conservation.
Goodbye, Makumba…
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