Day 35

Waking up after a few hours sleep at 1am, some hot chocolate and then off for the next to last control of traps. Yes, this was more like it! One new trapping of a Garnett’s and of a Zanzibar galago! Adding on to that was a mouse, two Zanzibar and one Garnett’s galago re-trapping. Processing of the new animals took its time and we were ready just 45 minutes before it was time to go for another round. Obviously it was not any point in going to sleep but a quick dozing off was in place. The last round ended with one mouse only. Our track record of trapping in this forest had been outstanding and we all felt well ad ease with this last leg of our journey.

The boys and their traps!

Camp was dissembled. Said our goodbyes and thanks to Mesa, the forest guard, and Betty our cook, for their diligent work and assistance over these last 10 days and headed off for Dar es Salaam. All that remains on this section of this project is a piece of paper from CITES allowing us to export the samples we collected. Unfortunately, we did not hear nor was able to get in touch with the Wildlife Department that issues these permits. It looks as we will have to implement our plan B or C to make this vital part of the project reality.

A Lesser Pouch Rat (Beamys hindei) making the most of its
time of freedomwith one jackfruit seed in each cheek pouch.

Back at Dar we had a very nice lunch at my favorite place here – Epi D’Or. Grabbing a beer in the sunset with a view over the Indian Ocean was the ultimate way to end this last field day. Simon was really knackered and was lying face down on his bed, one led sticking out as if he had fallen asleep on his way to bed, and we didn’t have the heart to wake him for the beer. Somehow I don’t think he minds.