Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Watchful Wanderer

We spent the morning tracking the chimp families in the Kibale forest. We arrived before dawn trekking in to an area where they bedded down the night before. They were having breakfast up the trees. so we waited patiently for them to start coming down to the forest floor. Watching the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor, was a thrilling experience. This young Chimpanzee came down from the group and settled into a crook in a tree. We slowly worked our way into a position that we were able to photograph this youngster, making sure we did not disturb it. This family wanders through the Kibale forest, always in search of good places to eat and rest. The youngster was very curious and watched us from its perch. We spent a bit of time with it before it decided to swing from that location, higher up in the canopy.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 12.2023
Date Uploaded: 12.2024
Photo Location: Kibale, Uganda
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © Jo-Anne Oucharek