The Figan Follow

Day 22: Group Attack on Evered—Gigi Splatters Curt

Date:	July 21, 1974
Start:	07:00 (nest)
Finish:	18:30 (nest)
Duration:	11 hr. 30 min.
Observers:	Curt Busse and Esilom Mpongo

“A month later Figan and Faben encountered Evered after a two-week separation. Curt observed the reunion which took place in a tall tree. It was tense and dramatic. Figan and Evered embraced, both screaming. The other chimps present were watching intently. They too were highly excited and screaming loudly.

‘I was looking up, doing my best to see exactly what was happening,’ said Curt, ‘when the unimaginable happened.’ He paused dramatically and we all wondered what was coming next. ‘Well, you know what fear and excitement can do to your guts,’ Curt went on. ‘One of those wretched creatures — I’m pretty sure it was Gigi — suddenly let go. I was absolutely showered with warm shit!’

Of course we were sorry for him, but nevertheless the whole mess collapsed laughing while Curt tried to look pained and aloof. Poor Curt — he had had to leave all the excitement and go and wash off in the stream. He was lucky that there was a stream close by! Fortunately he was with Eslom, who had recorded the details of the fight that took place.” — Jane Goodall

Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe, 1990, pp. 63-64.

Curt’s Report. Figan displayed 7 times upon un-nesting at mnazi trees on the Kasakela side of Peak Ridge. Four of the displays were directed at Satan who avoided each time. Once there was a long chase of Sparrow. From 0722 until 0801 Figan and Faben merely sat and waited for Gigi who fed. Figan copulated once with Gigi. Figan, Faben, Gigi and Goblin traveled to Plum Tree Thicket where Figan and Faben drum-displayed before again waiting for Gigi who fed on ngazi for 15 minutes.

Figan’s first food of the day came at 0834 when the group arrived at the muguiza tree near the Mess where Melissa, Athena, and Atlas were already feeding. Hugo arrived at 0906 and Figan descended to groom briefly with Hugo, Gigi, and Faben before feeding on the majani at the main path below the muguiza tree. Humphrey arrived and started displaying down towards the muguiza tree in which Melissa and Athena were still feeding. Figan and Faben were feeding in the dense bushes and I’m sure that Humphrey didn’t see them.

Figan grooms his arm in front of Curt’s rondoval. Baboons destroyed the thatching on the roof.

Figan and Faben immediately upon seeing Humphrey displaying leapt up and charged, displaying at Humphrey. Humphrey screamed and retreated, and at that moment Evered emerged. Figan and Evered both rushed together and mutually embraced, both screaming with full-open-grins following their 15 day separation. Evered then avoided up a tree and Faben charged up after him. Humphrey and Figan also went in the tree and Evered bobbed to Figan. There were pant-hoots by Faben and Evered then a minute later by the entire group. Faben displayed at Evered who avoided. Humphrey pant-grunted and approached Figan who with a full-closed-grin groomed Humphrey.

At that moment warm feces came hurling down from the sky with pinpoint accuracy. The chimp had choomingi (diarrhea)and I suspect it was Gigi, nevertheless I had to go to the stream to wash all the shit off of me. I returned to find that the chimps had moved off. I headed towards Camp and an instant later insane screaming erupted from 50 m off.

I arrived moments after Evered had been brutally attacked by the entire group: Figan, Faben, Humphrey, Gigi, Goblin, and Hugo. Faben was in the process of displaying and Figan with a full-closed-grin mounted Faben. Figan and Evered then both screamed full- open-grin. Figan and Faben then in rapid succession displayed at Evered who avoided up a tree screaming. Figan displayed three more times at Evered before the group settled down a little. Figan and Evered twice extended arms and touched hands – both with fear grins. Fifi arrived; Figan displayed twice more at Evered who avoided and screamed both times.

The group then calmed down for an hour of resting and grooming. Figan groomed mostly with Humphrey; Evered remained in the periphery. The group started traveling and broke up at 1200. Figan displayed once more at Evered before traveling to Camp where he met Passion, Humphrey, Goblin, Fifi, and Winkle. Gigi had left Camp to the east and was lost by Figan. Figan, Faben, and Goblin traveled out Camp to the east at 1248.

Figan grooms his arm while chewing on a small piece of cloth in camp. Next to him are Winkle and her infant son Wilkie, who chews on a larger piece of cloth.

Figan broke off from the others and tracked a trail of blood half way out to the waterfall before stopping to feed on ngazi. Fifteen minutes later there were distant pant- hoots by Goblin from back near the Dell. Figan traveled in that direction (apparently giving up on Gigi) and found Faben and Goblin feeding in an mtobogoro tree. There were continuous squeaks and screams by Figan, Faben, and Goblin in excitement over this food. Humphrey, Hugo, and Patti arrived soon afterwards and joined in the feeding.

After a brief rest, Figan and Faben traveled back to Camp (Gilka, also). Blood was seen on the ground, perhaps from Gigi earlier. The chimps stayed in Camp briefly then moved to Plum Tree Thicket where they drummed before feeding on muguiza. Figan and Faben then fed on msongati for an hour before traveling into Lower Kasakela for kitota. Figan, Faben, Gilka, and Goblin then traveled to the Lower Kasakela mnazi trees for an hour of feeding before nesting at 1830.

ASR Details. The following is a blow-by-blow account of the reunion between Figan and Evered following a 15-day separation.

0934 Figan, Faben, Gigi, and Hugo are feeding on the ground near the main Camp path, when Humphrey suddenly comes displaying downhill. Humphrey apparently had only seen Melissa and Athena who were feeding in the nearby muguiza tree and was unaware of the presence of Figan and Faben. Melissa and Athena started pant- bobbing at Humphrey’s arrival. Then as Figan and Faben saw Humphrey they leapt up and charged at Humphrey. Humphrey screamed and retreated, but at that same instant Evered who had just arrived with Humphrey came displaying out of the bushes.

Upon Evered’s arrival the chimps all started screaming wildly. For an instant, Figan and Faben stood facing Evered and Humphrey – 5 m apart – all screaming with fear-grins and hair-out. Figan approached Evered and they mutually embraced for several seconds. Both had hair-out and were screaming with full-open-grins. There were then many pant-hoots from the group: Gigi, Goblin, Hugo, Athena, Atlas, and Melissa. Evered continued to have a fear grin.

0945 Figan with full-open-grin, squeaks, approaches, and grooms Faben. Figan squeaks with a full-open-grin and looks at Evered (3 m away) who pant-grunts and avoids up a tall tree. Faben goes bipedal then charges up the tree towards Evered who squeaks and avoids. Humphrey climbs the tree with Faben and Evered. Figan with hair-out goes in the tree also; Humphrey pant-grunts; Evered pant-grunts and bobs.

0946 Figan puts his hair out again; Evered descends the tree a ways pant-grunting and bobbing and approaches to 2 m. Figan grooms Humphrey while Evered sits 5 m away.

0948 Faben then Evered pant-hoot. Faben approaches and briefly grooms with Figan.

0949 Figan, Faben, Humphrey, and Evered all pant-hoot; Humphrey then squeaks and Evered pant-grunts and bobs, approaching to 2 m from Figan.

0950 Humphrey then Faben pant-hoot. Faben displays at Evered who avoids and squeaks full-open-grin. Faben approaches to 1 1/2 m from Evered. Faben, Humphrey, and Evered pant-hoot.

0952 Faben pant-hoots. Humphrey pant-grunts as he approaches Figan and grabs Figan’s balls. Figan with a full-closed-grin starts grooming Humphrey. Bad observation of Humphrey’s facial expression during this sequence. Humphrey starts grooming Figan also.

0955 An unidentified chimp with choomingi defecates all over me from above. I leave the chimps and go to the stream to wash up.

1003 As I am returning to find the group, I hear wild screaming 50 m away. I arrive seconds after a brutal attack on Evered by Figan, Faben, Gigi, Goblin, Hugo, and Humphrey. Esilom reported the attack to me and described it as a bad attack. Certainly all of the intense screaming and waah’s suggested a bad attack.

According to Esilom all of the chimps took part on the attack. Evered had a few small cuts on his shin and a slick area on his back with missing hair where apparently Goblin had bitten him! Figan has a small cut on his hand and a scratch across the top of his head [visible in several of the photos]. Grooming had preceded the attack, but the actual precipitation is unknown.

Evered shortly after the attack on DAY 22.

1004 I find the group. Evered is screaming with a full-open-grin on the ground. Faben charges hair-out on the ground. Humphrey screams and mounts Faben. Evered also screams, and Figan has a full-closed-grin. Evered is screaming as Faben charges bipedal, branch-waving. Figan mounts Faben, and both Figan and Evered are screaming with full-open-grins. Faben then charges at Evered; Figan follows and also charges at Evered who screams and avoids up a tree approaching Humphrey who has a full-open-grin.

1006 All sit quietly on the ground. Figan then charges bipedal and goes in a tree approaching Hugo. Hugo screams and avoids, then Figan and Hugo mutually embrace, both screaming full-open-grin. Evered is screaming all this time. Faben approaches Figan, and Hugo leaves.

1009 Figan charges bipedal branch-waving towards Evered who squeaks.

1010 Figan charges and then mounts Faben, both with hair-out. Evered is screaming then waah’s as Figan mounts Faben. Evered continues screaming and approaches Humphrey.

1011 Figan charges branch-waving uphill away from Evered who screams and follows after Figan. Fifi pant-hoots upon arrival. Figan has hair-out as Evered approaches with full-open-grin and extends his arm to Figan. Figan with full-open-grin extends hand and touches Evered. This mutual touch of hands lasts for about 10 seconds. Figan leaves Evered and moves off.

1014 Humphrey pushes Fifi to the ground and inspects her.

1015 Evered rushes up to Figan full-open-grin and extends arm again to Figan. Figan again with full-open-grin and hair-out touches Evered (full-open-grin). Humphrey, Gigi, then Fifi pant-hoot.

1016 Figan grooms Hugo. Evered and Humphrey sit within arm’s reach of each other. Figan and Evered pant-hoot; then Evered approaches and pant-grunts to Figan who is feeding.

1023 Faben branch-waves at Gigi who approaches and presents and they copulate.

1025 Evered pant-grunts and approaches Figan who displays off in another direction. Evered screams and avoids Figan.

1026 Patti arrives – no response. Figan licks a small cut on his hand.

1027 Figan hair-out advances to 2 m from Humphrey and Faben. Figan then charges downhill at Evered, who pant-grunts and avoids up a tree. Humphrey then Athena and Patti pant-hoot.

1043 Figan has been grooming Humphrey; then lip-flips as he sits idly on the ground (photo, below).

Figan had an idiosyncratic behavior in which he would flip up his upper lip. This was just as likely to happen when he was alone vs. in a group.

1044 Evered descends his tree, pant-grunts, approaches Figan, and extends arm to Figan who also extends an arm but no touch.

1058 Figan has been grooming again with Humphrey, then puts hair-out as Evered approaches pant-grunting full-open-grin.

1107 The group has calmed down and is mostly grooming or resting. Figan grooms With Humphrey, Hugo, and Faben. Evered is on the periphery for most of the time and not grooming.

1117 Faben moves between Figan and Evered and starts grooming Figan who is grooming Hugo. Evered pant-grunts then nervously starts grooming Faben with intense lip-smacking (photo, above).

1120 Evered pant-grunts approaches Figan. Evered pant-grunts, approaches, and close- faces Figan who has hair-out. Figan, Faben, Humphrey, and Evered, etc. all pant- hoot.

1130 Figan walks away from the group. Evered follows, pant-grunts, approaches, and touches Figan who has a full-closed-grin. Patti pant-hoots. Hugo approaches and grooms Figan.

1132 Faben/Gigi copulation. Figan does a pant-hoot, branch-wave, hair-out, charge, bipedal, branch-wave, ss. drum display moving away from the group. Evered and Humphrey pant-hoot. Screams are heard from uphill as perhaps Faben is displaying too. Many pant-hoots follow.

1136 Figan does a pant-hoot-drum display. There are many group pant-hoots.

1137 Figan, Faben, and others pant-hoot during feeding.

1142 Evered pant-bob approach Figan and briefly grooms Figan who has hair-out and a full-open-grin. This is the first time that Evered has been seen to groom Figan since the Figan takeover a year ago. Evered only grooms Figan for a few seconds. Faben and Humphrey approach for grooming. Faben moves off from the group.

1144 Figan pant-hoot-drum displays. Patti pant-hoots in response.

1153 Figan has hair-out as Evered approaches, pant-grunting, and bobs to Figan.

1158 Figan pant-hoot-drum displays. The group is now starting to break up.

1200 Atlas approaches and close-faces Figan, who is licking a wound on his hand.

1201 Figan pant-hoots.

1208 Faben then the entire group pant-hoots. Evered pant-grunts, approaches, and presents to Figan (hair-out).

1206 Figan pant-hoot-drum displays; Evered pant-hoots. Faben and others (Gigi, Goblin, Humphrey, Melissa, and Fifi) travel off towards Camp. Evered remains sitting a few meters from Figan.

1208 Figan pant-hoots.

1211 Figan pant-hoots incipient.

1214 Figan moves down to the main Camp path. Evered pant-grunts, approaches, and bobs. Figan displays away from Evered, who squeaks and avoids even though the display is not directed towards him.

1216 Figan travels off to Camp. Evered follows for a ways then stays behind.

Nesting Details. Figan, Faben, Goblin, and Gilka arrived at the Lower Kasakela mnazi trees to feed at 1735. At 1746 Figan and Faben exchanged rapid-grunts; the entire group then pant-hooted. Faben was first to nest-build in the mnazi trees at 1810. I left the group at this time in order to prepare for tomorrow’s follow. Esilom reports that Gilka nested next at 1812; Goblin at 1822; and Figan at 1830. All were nested in the mnazi trees.