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As the sunshine rises , my commute to work begins . There is no traffic at all to speak of except for a few baboons frolicking about and a couplet warthog at their preferred grazing spot for breakfast .
Baby chimps in Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains National Park are at an especially high mortality risk if they develop an upper respiratory infection. Researchers in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine have discovered the animals are likely becoming sick from human visitors to the park.
I am at 6 degrees south of the equator and 30 degrees east of the prime meridian , where there is an enchanted forest , called Mahale Mountains . It is situated along the shore of a vast lake , Lake Tanganyika in East Africa . Mahale Mountains National Park is a foundation - walking Park . It stretch along across 623 straight miles in a removed location in western Tanzania , East Africa . Mahale is very distant . The near townspeople is between 10 – 12 hour by steamer .
I come here to canvas the wild chimpanzee . They are habituated to human presence .
favourable to find them
Each morning I wake up up and wonder where the chimpanzees are today — luxuriously up in the mountain range or lower and close to my base camp . trek through the forest , I listen for their vocalisation . On a good day , I discover some vocalizing and can act towards finding them . A great mean solar day is one where I in reality get hold them and can spend some time with them as they roam around in perfect autonomy .
I am abase ; their appearance and behavior command my respect . After all , chimpanzees are theclosest populate relativeof mankind . Less than about 2 pct of their DNA sequence differ ours . This close genetical relationship makes chimpanzee susceptible to many of the same diseases that we are susceptible to .
I study chimpanzee health . I need to square off how and why they aregetting sick and dying .
Eco - friendly research
I have developed a software syllabus for this research . It enables me to collect data rapidly using a handheld data processor . I can download the data automatically right away into a database that I built . I ask a reliable superpower source in the field though to pass the system .
Mahale is very remote and there is no source of top executive available . A gasoline - power generator or solar power is the only option available .
I resolve to go all solar since I believe it is the most environmentally friendly approach . I need a strong-arm structure to work out of . I want my research station to be eco - friendly and leave the small possible footmark in the woods . So I function with architects and engineers to plan and develop my eco - well-disposed science laboratory .
Human disease
For my research , I take note the chimp . Also , I collect specimen for analytic thinking . inquiry on chimpanzees here is " hands - off . " I can only take in feces and urine , and saliva can sometimes be collected from leftover pieces of fruits that the chimpanzees were eating .
Now , the interrogation arises , how the virus come up to infect and do disease in chimpanzees at Mahale . At this here and now in time , it is very backbreaking to resolve this query . presently , I am doing further research . Hopefully , I will be able to determine the origin of this human - touch chimpanzee metapneumovirus which has been stimulate disease and death in chimpanzees at Mahale . The work goes on …
