Day 15: Figan, Faben, and Gigi Perform Waterfall Displays. Figan Disappears
| Date: | July 14, 1974 |
| Start: | 07:25 (nest) |
| Finish: | 10:35 (nest) |
| Duration: | 3 hr. 10 min. |
| Observers: | Curt Busse and Hamisi Matama |
Curt’s Report. Figan was not found in his nest, but was located at 0725 feeding on mnazi closer to Peak Ridge with Humphrey and Satan. Goblin, Miff, and Moeza arrived soon afterwards. Figan later displayed into a nearby msongati tree and there were many pant- hoots as Humphrey and Goblin joined him. Humphrey approached Figan and there was a mutual full-open bite-kiss for 15 seconds (Figan hair-out). Figan then touched Humphrey who responded by grabbing Figan’s balls.
Satan feeding. 
They fed for 45 minutes before traveling to Camp. Figan displayed at Plum Tree Thicket, and fed briefly with Patti on ngazi (No ASR) and displayed at Humphrey before entering Camp. Humphrey pant-grunted to Figan then avoided as Figan displayed at the banana trench. Goblin, Jomeo, Satan, Miff, and Moeza were also present. Figan displayed once more before leaving Camp and again at KK9 preceding ngazi feeding. As Figan fed there were many distant screams and pant-hoots from the streambed part of the path to the waterfall. Satan and Goblin passed under Figan’s tree and Figan followed as they traveled to this other group.
During a very long ASR sequence Satan brutally attacked Nope twice. Humphrey, Faben, Jomeo, Gigi, Sparrow, and Patti were also present. Figan fed on ngazi with the others and then traveled ahead with Jomeo to the waterfall. Satan was doing a streambed display downstream and we found Figan in the process of a brief (4 min) waterfall display. After the display he followed Jomeo up the rocks on the south side of the falls and he was hopelessly lost for the day. Upon returning to the bottom of the falls I found Faben and Gigi in the process of waterfall displays. I followed them for two hours, but there were no signs of Figan.
The Kakombe waterfall is the second tallest (~65 ft) in Gombe. The tallest is Mkenke (~85 ft). Photo by Curt Busse, July, 2024.
ASR Details. At 1001, Figan and Satan arrived in a large group, all of whom were feeding in ngazi trees near the waterfall. Figan with hair-out went into a tree with Mustard. Satan rushed into a tree and chased after Nope who pant-grunted then screamed and avoided. Satan hit Nope (contact I) who dropped a few m to the ground and screamed as Satan continued to chase her. Satan with hair-out chased Nope into a tree and then brutally attacked her. During the attack Figan rushed down from his ngazi tree and advanced towards Satan and Nope. Nope screamed full-open-grin and Satan screamed and avoided a Figan branching display in the palm tree. Nope had descended to the ground, and after the Figan display, Satan rushed down the tree with hair-out and chased Nope up another tree. Satan again brutally attacked Nope.
Nine-year-old male, Mustard, sits in camp. He was rarely far from his mother, Nope (no photos available).
Following the attack he hit Mustard and both Mustard and Nope screamed loudly. Satan then continued to branch-wave at Nope and stamped on her back twice. She continued to crouch and scream loudly as Satan stamped on her back again several times. The attack series ended and Nope went up the ngazi tree where Figan was feeding. Many group pant-hoots ensued, including Humphrey, Faben, and others. Nope screamed as she approached Figan and Jomeo feeding in the ngazi tree and then began feeding. Half hour later Figan and Jomeo arrived at the waterfall and Figan displayed for four minutes.
Satan was seen doing a streambed display downstream prior to Figan’s display. Jomeo watched as Figan charged all around the base of the falls throwing and kicking rocks. At 1049 I found Faben and Gigi as they arrived at the falls and did waterfall displays. Both were hair-out branch-waving as they climbed the cliffs at the side of the falls. Faben several times dangled by one arm 15 m off the ground. The displays lasted for three minutes, and Faben and Gigi stopped at the top of the falls. At the base of the falls Goblin charged hair-out at Sparrow and hit Sparrow. Initially Sparrow screamed and avoided, then charged back at Goblin who displayed off in another direction.
Nesting Details. Figan had been lost at 1035 and no nesting was seen.
