Day 4: “Stranger” Scare in Upper Linda Valley
| Date: | July 3, 1974 |
| Start: | 07:27 (nest) |
| Finish: | 18:30 (nest) |
| Duration: | 11 hr. 3 min. |
| Observers: | Curt Busse and Rugema Bambaganya |
Curt’s Report. Rugema and I took 1 ½ hr to reach the nests as a heavy early morning rain dampened our efforts to crawl through Upper Linda to the middle of nowhere. A siafu nest was also quite troubling, but fortunately the chimps remained nested until 0730. The group fed on budyankende in Upper Linda for 45 minutes before hitting a muguiza tree on the Linda stream. Figan drummed upon arrival; Nope, Mustard, and a strange juvenile female [Spray] were present. This strange female, who in every way is identical with Honey Bee [Kahama Community], was submissive to Figan upon his arrival. Later in the BARF study this female will be seen with Sprout, and to go to Sprout’s nipple. It seems likely that she is Sprout’s daughter [Spray] . She was quite wary, but allowed me to come within 15 m.
Atlas (age 7 ) eats “bamboo” (local name: matete). 
After brief feeding the group traveled to LK4 for some mkuyu. There were many pant-hoots by the group upon arrival. Atlas and the strange juvenile played for several minutes. Play became rough and there were screams. Athena threatened the stranger and Figan displayed at the group. Athena and Atlas Atlas (age 7) eating matete (bamboo). avoided and screamed, and the stranger merely sat as Figan displayed past her. Figan started feeding on bark (insects?) and the others all joined him with great curiosity. Atlas begged from Figan, and at one point was kicked in the head by Figan and thrown against a nearby limb.
Figan groomed for over an hour with Miff and Faben, then the group moved up to the upper Linda-Kasakela ridge. Figan and Faben displayed twice at the ridge. During feeding on mshai the group – Figan, Faben, Gigi, Miff, Moeza, and the stranger – all became suddenly alarmed and they oriented uphill towards the LK4 grasslands. Faben led travel up the ridge to the very top of LK4. The group went bipedal several times and looked towards the korongo. A baboon troop was present and was alarmed at our presence. Perhaps the chimps were responding to baboon alarm calls directed at us.
Faben eats magugunwa in upper Linda Valley.
The chimps traveled across the korongo and there were long silent displays by Figan and Faben. The group then settled down to feed on msongati, magugunwa, and mshai. At 1423, Figan and Faben both put hair-out as the group traveled down into LK4. Figan left the others during budyankende feeding and displayed twice perhaps trying to relocate Faben et. al. There was no response and Figan moved on to a kifumbe tree near Linda Peak where he met Gigi. Figan left Gigi in Upper Kasakela and he traveled up to The Peak for msongati. As a perfect ending to a miserably wet day, a heavy rainstorm hit as Figan fed on msongati. The rain eased as Figan STREAKED down to lower KK9 for some ngazi at 1743. (Whoever said that chimps don’t do anything in the rain is crazy!) Fortunately, Figan nested soon afterwards at the Dell.
ASR Details. At 0937 Atlas and the strange juvenile (STJ) were playing in a tree. Athena threatened at the juvenile female, perhaps as play became too rough. There were screams by the stranger, and Figan charged down at the group. Athena screamed and avoided. Atlas avoided and the juvenile female merely sat as Figan displayed past her. Was Figan supporting the strange female??
Nesting Details. Figan nested alone at the Dell (in a palm tree) at 1829 following msongati and ngazi feeding and RAIN. He nested 20 m from his last feed on ngazi.
