Animals of the Congo

Glen and Rita's Turaco
Photo by Marilyn Gorenflo

Our first years in Congo were spent in the Ubangi which is in the northwest corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  There were many groups of people in that area.  The largest people group is the Ngbaka people.  They are known for being great hunters.  Therefore, we rarely saw wild animals around.  What we did see were baby animals after the mom’s were shot the hunters were capture the baby and bring it to the “white” people to sell to make some money.  Now I am not the a very good pet person in the world so I was not out to start a menagerie. The variety that came to our doorstep was amazing over the four years we were there.  We saw a pangolin, a dik-dik, a beautiful baby owl, a crocodile, a Cayman, and various other animals. 

Diker, we had one for a pet for a while

Bonobos at their best!

Since we moved to Kinshasa we are definitely living the city life but we have had some occasional interesting visits with animals.  Just outside of Kinshasa is "Lola ya Bonobo" (Bonobo Heaven).  Bonobos are the pygmy chimpanzees and many scientists say they are closest related to humans.  After visiting them I would like to put a disclaimer on any relationship there.They are endangered here in Congo and so a group began an orphanage that has grown over the years.  The Bonobo have an enclosed area that is very much their natural habitat but they can be observed, protected and cared for if they are sick.

The hippo is on the sand bar to the right of us.

 Another group of interesting animals we have visited are the hippos out in Vanga, where Lydia was born.  They roam up and down the river close to the mission station.  One day we were going for a swim in the river and our guide decided to show us the hippos first.   We paddled down river to a sand bar next to an island.  We saw a papa, mama and baby hippo.  Then our guide said, “You can swim here.”  Being from the city, I looked at my local missionary and he didn’t say anything so we cautiously proceeded to enjoy the water.  I kept my eye on the papa hippo that was standing on the far side of the sandbar.  The mama and baby had gone for a swim on the other side of him.  The whole time I had a contingency plan to grab my two kids that were with me and run for the island where people were working with machetes. 

Mazu
Photo by Marilyn Gorenflo

My favorite animal of all was Mazu, the Congo Clawless Otter.  Missionary friends, Glen and Rita Chapman, took Mazu in when she was a baby and raised her.  Rita, took Mazu to the river almost every day to swim and enjoy being an otter.  While we were visiting Mazu went swimming in the river with us.  There was a group of about eight of us and she enjoyed coming around and checking each of us out.  What surprised me was she had big teeth but loved to test our fingers with her mouth and never bit down.  Since I wore a skirt and Rita wore a skirt she occasionally mistook me for Rita in the water and would swim around my legs. 

Mazu checking out Lydia
Photo by Marilyn Gorenflo

So even though I am not an animal collector, over the years I have been able to enjoy a few of God’s beautiful creation.  God has a way of blessing us in so many directions in life.