Chronicles of the Green Group (II)

(I'll be updating this post during the following days with the new stories, I guess. For previous episodes: Back to the Green Group, Encounter in the Amphitheatre, Chronicles of the Green Group )



Day 9: Monday 19 March 2012

We had new arrivals during the last days; 3 new masters students and a research assistant of one of them. That is why the Londoner and I didn’t go to the Green group on Thursday nor Sunday; days that I spent with the Tourists group.

I’m sorry for the monkeys of the Tourists group but, even after 2 months with them, I’m not so fond of them as I’m of the Green group macaques. Maybe it’s because of the amazing home range they have; maybe because the Tourists’ group site only reminds me the ability of humans to sodomize nature and all the valuable things in the world, or maybe because the Greens were my first macaques. Whatever the reason, when I have to go with the Green group I don’t consider it work.

Today the Green group site was, once again, full of researches. Apart from the Londoner and me, the French came to start to get to know the monkeys before I leave, as well as the German3 and her assistant, the Washingtonian (?) who started on the field.

The German3 and the Washingtonian began the search in the valleys, while the Londoner sought in UK and the French and me in Texas. Due to the shortage of radios and that the ones we had were toy-like; the French and I couldn’t split too much and luckily. It seems that the French orientation sense is less acute than Londoner’s and, when I realized, instead of going on a straight line, she made a kind of U, ending up going on the completely opposite direction! Fortunately, the Londoner contacted us through the toy-radio not much after to tell us that she had found the monkeys in UK.

She has improved a lot on her tracking skills in this couple of weeks because the monkeys were quite hidden on the trees! And they didn’t start to climb down till 9 or so…

Then the French started the identification and I with the faecal sample collection. In less than 1hour we got Danni, Lewis, Helen and Joan. Good one. And in not much more, the French had already learnt to recognize pretty well the monkeys and soon after, Danni became her favourite.

After lunch, the monkeys had continued on the trees, following their current routine of grooming and rest; ideal time to try to collect urine…or to be showered with it as Helen did with me. At least that was better than Artemis, that also dropped to me some faecal samples…(Thanks man ’).

Short after, the monkeys climbed down from the trees and started to travel to Parallel while the French tried to do some photogrammetry and I continued with the faecal collection. Together we were able to collect Oz and Noddy, so was a pretty good day in that sense.

Travelling and travelling, the reached the fence and, what better to welcome the new researchers than a quick walk through Vertical Valley?

We had to leave them there so, probably tomorrow we will need some time to find them.

It’s good to see again so many people working with the Green group; but I certainly enjoyed the peaceful days alone with the Londoner. I guess that things seem more special the less people has access to them, but so is life.

Well; today was 5 months since I arrived to Morocco to go after the Barbary Macaques, and I've only got one week left. Tough, quite tough and, in such situations, the f&%cking sentimental girls like me do things like this:





Day 10: Tuesday 20 March 2012

After walking through the road which goes to the Quarry, the German3 and her assistant went to check the Amphitheatre, letting the tough task of climbing to the top of the hill to the Londondoner, the French and me.

When we finally arrived to the top, we walked towards the Quarry and, once more, I mistook Vertical Valley for Gash (If I don't see the Gash I don't know if its the Gash valley or not, sigh). After correcting my mistake, we continued going towards there sligthly splitted. Then the French started to cough several times. "What are you doing?" I asked her, cause our toy-like radios didn't work and she was in the other side of the slope that we were supposed to check. She had found the monkeys just at the edge of the forest, between the Gash and the Quarry.


This time they started to travel sooner than the day before; just after we found them. Soon, they reached the back of the Quarry, giving us the chance of enjoy the amazing view. After a couple of pictures, George appeared. After looking at us, he walked toward the edge of the Quarry "No, George, no!" The Londoner and I exclaimed lowly (We are agree in that he is the best). And he stopped just a couple of cm of the edge and chewed some grass while staring at us. We breathed calm, but just for some seconds, before he walked into the Quarry out of sight...but, after a while, he jumped again out of the Quarry, looking at us like saying "Were you worried? What did you expect?"

As expected, they travelled to the Amphitheatre and, of course, I had to do the hourly scan when they were still travelling. In doing so, two eagles flew through the sky and the monkeys made a vocalization that I don't remember to have heard before. It wasn't an alarm call, sounded more like a weird grunt and they were all looking at the sky.

Soon after, I could collect Artemis faecal sample when he had a small scream fight against Oz and Simon.

After some time doing photogrammetry, the French approached me and confessed that she still had some problems to recognize some of the females " I don't know if I'm glad or disapointed" I told her, and went with her to check some IDs.

Then, I came back to watch George, who was sleeping on a tree not to high, perfect location for sample collection. Finally I received my prize (as well as some drops on the face, but that is routine, as well as he peed just before a scan).

It was grooming and resting time on the trees, and I was waiting between some trees to collect whatever any monkey wanted to eject. As usual, I cannot avoid to watch a little bit what the little juveniles and infants are doing around and I found a comic scene. While feeding, Danni's infant (Daphne? Daikiri?...let's see) saw something that scared her and jumped doing a tumble on the air. Her sister, Dakota, was around and went to examine whatever the infant has seen, while this one lagged behind holding her hands. Apparently, Dakota decided that there wasn't any thing wrong and resumed her feeding, so did her little sister.

Suddenly, I saw Simon and Kerry chasing Rebecca and I had to run towards them to collect the sample, while them interrupted the lunch of the German3 and the Washingtonian.


Only Kerry was kind enough to deliver another sample; Anna and George only make us following them unsuccessfully.

Around 15:30, the French and I had to left. The Boss was going to meet us at the car park at 16 for having time to prepare stuff for a 3 days trip to Maerzouga. I will be great...but I wouldn't mind to be all the rest of the week working with the Green group, especially now in the Amphitheatre...I'm gonna miss them and their forest so much...

We arrived on time and, when driving towards the Tourists site to collect the boys, I asked the boss if the Green Group could come with us to the desert, but she wasn't very pleasent with the idea of driving with Artemis sitting on her knees...not even if I only invite George, Anna and Rebbeca, sigh. When reaching the end of Texas, we could see one of the neighbour groups of the Green group; Big Lewosky one, who sit and stared at us with cockiness.




Day 11: Sunday 25 March 2012

After a couple of days going around Erg Chebbi by camel with the Barbary Gang, I worked on Saturday with the Tourists group. Then we could experience the side effects of holydays, with Bart stealing the English’s lunch after clapping his ass (Bart also tried to clap the French’s bottom, but she is quicker), some forgetting the radio, or some others collecting a faecal sample from Smarties (Elliot) thinking that is Galack.

Today, I had a mixed day, working with both groups. First, we struggled a little to find the Tourists group under the rain, which has came back to say me goodbye and remembering me my first weeks here. I finally found them hidden in the Bushy area; I hoped that their weird location indicated that there was a new born, but no. A funny morning trying to collect urine in the rain…I could get Chocobon’s in a break of rain and, soon after, I found myself surrounded by a teacher and his 50 students asking me questions and me trying to answer with my amoeba-like French, before sending an SOS to the French and the English. I could also see how about 30 teenagers suffering the consequences of harassing Tabasco (Tequila’s (Leila’s) infant); being aggressed by Tequila, Cinnamon (Osiris) and Pepito. The tourists then tried to run away, some of them fell and some other nearly steep on them.

After my lunch, I did my last scan on the Tourists group; starting with my beloved Tequila and ending with my old friend of extremely long focals, Lychee ( Fidji).
I looked at them sadly and said “ I’ll come back tomorrow and I’ll say you goodbye properly”

Then, the French and I, accompanied by a noisy storm, drove towards the Green Group site. The Boss had let me to try to find them during the afternoon to don’t spend all my last day looking for them unsuccessfully. I owe her a lot.

We checked UK. The rain stopped and no monkey was found, but we saw some fresh faeces…really fresh. We checked the outer part of Parallel and then, we started with Texas. The sun had come back and the temperature was increasing.

When we were on the half of the area, I heard a well known scream and I saw something purchasing something behind some shrubs. Happy like a vampire in a blood bank, I went that way and found them. The French had also seen them and was moving toward the place. “Oooh…si es que sois todos más monos. Os abrazaba a todos, c_ñ_!” I said.

No much could happen in the hour and a half that we could stay with them; no samples, a couple of pictures for the photogrammetry…Just the lack of Artemis. Well, when waiting to see if Anna stopped to groom with Simon, to try to collect a faecal sample from her, while waiting to see if Joan and Kerry delivered some urine while they were grooming Joan’s infant; I saw these three looking behind me. I looked too and I saw George around 30m far, chewing something, while sitting on a low branch and looking at me. The next time I looked he had disappeared as suddenly as he appeared.

We had to leave at 16:30; to don’t be late to a dinner with Ben, part of my last-things-to do list (It was a long list, I’ve needed three weeks to do stuff and I’ve got some more for tomorrow, let’s see…). The French, the South Carolinian and me bought some pastries at the Hadaf and food at the mythic Chicken Place before going to Ben’s place. There we had dinner, with a good amount of tea among others, and the presence of Katrina, a little cat that has been around since New Years Eve. Ben was remembering the Californian and the Czech and speaking a little bit about everything with the French, while the S. Carolinian and I tried to get some of the conversation (I have to learn French urgently!).

And then, tomorrow it’s my last day…It’s finally here…C’est a vie…




Day 12: Monday 26 March 2012 (last day in the field) & Tuesday 27 March 2012, the departure



As usual, the alarm of the French’s mobile sounded, just 3 minutes before mine, even if both were supposed to ring at 6. I recovered the conscience after the short rest, getting ready for another day in the field…and then I felt a kind of kick on the stomach and opened the eyes; I realized it was the last day.

According to my new philosophy, I tried to get those sad thoughts away from my mind and so, I put loud music on my mp3 as every morning.

After leaving the boys at the Tourists site, the Boss dropped us at the Green Group site, where the Londoner, the German3 and the Washingtonian were waiting for us... as well as George, who looked at us from the side of the road that leads to Texas.

“Oh, George!!! You have come for me, haven’t you? You are so cool…” I thought. And we went to meet them all in Texas.

“Ok guys, I wanna a perfect day today, I need 11 samples, so everybody shitting!” I said to the macaques, who were too busy chewing grass to pay me attention.

Nonetheless, the first two samples came shortly after; thanks to a small scream fight with Artemis against Oz supported by…the juveniles and the infants! It was funny to see Mac lunging and open mouthing to Artemis.

Then I spent an hour watching Noddy, Kerry, Rebecca and Anna who were resting on a couple of trees, in a perfect position for urine collection…but they didn’t deliver anything…until I came back from the scan and I found a fresh warm shit under Noddy, which I collected with the correspondent comment.

Soon, the monkeys started to move and I could collect a faecal sample from Rebecca. While I was processing it, the French appeared with a stone on her hand with and enormous mountain of shit on it. What is wrong with you, Joan?

When I ended up of processing both samples, my colleagues weren’t around since most of the monkeys have already crossed to Parallel. Near the road, I could collect Kerry’s sample. And, when I was preparing it, George appeared again, looked at me and defecated in the middle of the road…and urinated on it…so I couldn’t collect any of them. I know that you only wanted to help, buddy, what does a macaque know about sample contamination?…sigh.


The following hours passed following the monkeys trough Parallel until the fence and then, going up Gash Valley. The group was scattered and I could spend some time alone with Anna, with Dakota around making funny things and slapping other juveniles (Yeah, is true, she is the best juvenile).

Around 13h, the French and I went to have lunch near the Gash, out of the sight of the monkeys, when the German3 called me. When we reach them, she asked me for the keys of the house; she and her assistant were going to come back home to try to fix the computer they have. Technology…

Then, the macaques were having their sleeping-grooming session at the beginning of Portugal. The last couple of hours were spent with the Londoner doing her focals, the French in front of Artemis trying to take the last picture she needed (she didn’t and now she hates him and his dummy face…hehe); and me waiting for urine.

At 15h, I made my last hourly scan…nearly perfect, but for the lack of Simon and George. Half an hour later, it was time to leave. The Boss had given me an extra hour off to be able to prepare all my stuff. So, I asked to the French and the Londoner to meet me at the fence; I needed to spend a while alone with my monkeys. I gave the French the Green Group urine collector, a symbol that now the Green group master is she…well, I don’t know what the opinion of the Boss is, but for me the French will end up being the next Green Group master, as soon as she has time to spend with them and love them as much as I do. Well, she already has her favourite, Danni, the funky monkey, according to her.

When I saw that both girls had departed, I stood for a while, watching the juveniles playing, and Rebecca going down a tree and starting to feed on grass. Simon appeared too. Then, I did something that I couldn’t do since my first couple of weeks: sit and observe without neither waiting for anything nor to have to note anything. I just watched Anna and Joan grooming and sandwiching with Joan’s infant. It was cool…but short, I had already spent more than 10 minutes and it was time to leave. I started to walk down the valley and I turned around to looked sadly and to say “Bslama…adiós”…and ran down Portugal.

I liked that they did pretty much the same way that they did on my first day, but I was a little bit disappointed that George didn’t appear to say goodbye but, as the Londoner said, then it wouldn’t be George.

It’s weird for me now to think that “my babies” are surrounded by nearly strangers; I guess it’s a similar feeling that parents have when their teenagers sons start to spend most of their time with their friends instead of at home…

We meet the Boss at the parking, with the guys already at the car. I had to sit on the French to make room for the Londoner who, given the early departure of the German3 and the Washingtonian, had to come with us at the car.No time to say goodbye to the Tourist group; they had travelled inside the Paradise area, far, far away. Fortunatetely, the previous day I could say goodbye to some of them, sigh.

At the Hadaf, I could print my flight tickets and buy some stuff for my parents. At home, I entered the last data and accomplish the amazing task of making my luggage to weight 15kg (Ryanair always makes you to be zen and toss most of your stuff…)

The last dinner was in the fancy restaurant at the Medina (no couscous this time!); with the Barbary Gang, the Londoner and the German3. The Boss made me to give a brief speech (my first choice, which was a simple open mouth with ground slap didn’t convince her) and so she did. I'm also very happy of having been able to work with you Boss! You taught me even more than the Great Portuguese.

Once at home, I shared some tequila and homemade fig ice cream with my fellows of the Barbary Gang, before going to sleep for the last time in Morocco (at least for now...).

The morning came, and so the time to say goodbye to everybody before they went to the field. Sad…but as the S.Carolinian reminded us “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”

The car left with the Barbary Gang inside while the tigress reminded on land. Some time after, the Boss came back and drove me to Fez airport. As I told her, who had told me when I first arrived to that airport that I would be leaving 5 months latter and accompanied by a different PhD student. Life is weird, fortunately.

She was helping me with the check-in and stuff and then, she, sadly, left.

I went into the embarquement area and wait. While doing it, I saw a Morocco tourist advertisement on the wall that said “see you soon”. “It’s hard to say… I surely hope so” I thought. I couldn’t see my face, but I had the feeling that probably was the same that I saw in the Californian the day he left, something pretty much like this :-( . The flight was delayed for an hour, of course and I started to feel hungry, so I opened the box of pastries that the Londoner had given to me and I found a short gratitude note. Thank you very much! The f&%cking sentimental girls like me love this kind of details! It was a pleasure to help you, I hope it was enough...and sorry for making you to walk through all the home range so fast the first day; I was so excited to be there again that I didn't realized that maybe it was too much.

When I was finally on the queue to go to the plane, the guy who checked the tickets asked me “ Porque tu triste” (Why you sad?)…”Porque me voy de casa…” (Because I’m leaving home)” I said. And then finally, I cried while walking up to the plane…


PD: Congratulations to Anna of the Green Group, who became the first mum this year...just one day after my departure...machiavellian monkeys...so lovely



“ Ain’t got no home, Ain’t got no money, Ain’t got no friends…I’ve got life” Nina Simone

Fauna and Flora: There are more in heaven and earth of Middle Atlas Mountains, Horatio, than Barbary Macaques

During my first month in Morocco I was astonished by the species in the forest, looking forward to know them before leaving and, as usual, I collapsed. The extremely busy days, the work of the training and, afterwards, the work itself, has been delaying this for months. The situation hasn't changed but, given that I've got short before leaving is time to do the homework. I could not give a very good guide of the living organism of the Middle Atlas mountains, but at least a couple will be cited here (I admit corrections, specially on plants. I did the identifications quite careless and I've been here from autumn to the very beginning of the spring, so I haven't seen most of the plants flowering...my phanerogamic plants professor would be quite ashamed, sure...the guide I've got here is has not even a dichotomous key!!).

Birds & other animals


Great tit (Parus major)



Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)



Coal tit (Periparus ater)


Others, seen but too quick to take a picture are: Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius), Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)...

Among some animals that I have been lucky enough to cross on the field, but without photo opportunity, have been: Wild board (Sus scofra), jackals (Canis aureus), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)...


Plants



Atlas Cedar(Cedrus atlantica)









Prickly Juniper(Juniperus oxycedrus)






Stinking iris (Iris foetidissima)

( I could only see the remains...but if I'm right it's a feat to know it just with this!)







Hoop petticoat daffodil(Narcissus bulbocodium)







Mistletoe(Viscum sp.)









Euphorbia sp. (Maybe Large Mediterranean spurge (E.characias)








Hawthorn (Crataegus sp. maybe C.granatensis)






Oak (Quercus ilex)










Butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus)
I was quite happy when I found this plant, because it has cladodes (its stems resemble leaves, that is why the flowers are on the "leaves"), and I always enjoy to see that my botanic lectures were useful somehow.








Holly (Ilex sp.)















PD: Thanks to the Valencia who identified the bird species (though I knew the P.major!...yeah, ornithology is not my field at all...)And to the guide "Wild flowers of the Mediterranean- Marjorie Blamey & Christopher Grey-Wilson. Domino Guides"; the only handy book about plants here.

Chronicles of the Green Group

(I'll be updating this post during the following days with the new stories, I guess. For previous episodes: Back to the Green Group and Encounter in the Amphitheatre)





Day 3: Wednesday 7th March 2012

After the Boss dropped us at the parking, the Londoner and I headed directly to the Amphiteatre. There we climbed till the place where we left them the day before. Obviously, they weren't there. I don't know why I felt so disappointed, I already knew that they would travel. Anyway, I decided to go to the end of the area and, from there, divide the area between the two of us and to make zig-zags in each of our halves. When I was still in the half of my half, the Londoner came, saying that she had already finished her part. I hardly believed, especially because I told her to do the search quite profoundly. But I said ok, and told her to wait for me at the other side of the Amphitheatre. I was thinking that, if I finally get involved into a PhD with field work (hopefully) I don't know if I'll be able to stand to have research assistants...and then I remembered the case of a guy of my university in Madrid who, doing some research in the Amazonia for his PhD, and being alone in the jungle, died without nobody knew the cause...maybe research assistants aren't so bad after all...
When I met her none of us had found the monkeys and only a small part remained unchecked. "So, you have checked everything right?" I said, and she nodded " We have to be very sure that they are not here before leaving, because if not we will be wasting the rest of the day..." I said, and she recognized that hadn't checked some trees and went to see. They were there.

The rest of the day was a calm sunny time in the Amphitheatre, where I faced the complications of doing photogrammetry in that environment full of grass and with monkeys much more active than the tourist group and with the additional difficulty of having to avoid to be closer than 5 meters of any of them while taking the pictures. Additionally, I could collect the faecal samples of Joan, Artemis and Danni and miss several urine samples because of the additional difficulties of the Green group. By her part, the Londoner did it quite well in identification at the first round in the morning and awfully at the end of the day. I don't know why, but I passed through the same during my training. Always that the light changes or anything, you start to don't recognize them.

Apart from this, a fox appeared. I was having a short break when I saw him walking slowly. When he was around 7m far from me he stopped and looked at me for a few seconds (only enough to wait till I took my camera but to don't have time to switch it on) and then ran away jumping on the snow. The macaques saw him and started to emit alarm calls. We also had an encounter with three dogs whose owner we couldn't find, even if they seemed to be in too good condition to be feral.



Day 4: Thursday 8th March 2012

After a thoroughly search through the Amphitheatre, the Londoner found the monkeys. I started to test her on IDs while they began to climb down the trees (they are kind of lazy these days and they don't go to the ground untill a couple of hours after sun rise...better for us

Maybe because they are now feeding on grass and this is more effective for gut regulation than Activia (joke for Spaniards I think), but in one hour I could collect the faecal samples of Anna, Kerry and Oz.

I could, again, use my McGiver skills in building up a urine-collector with a good stick that the Londoner found and a plastic bag. My other gadget is the holder I made for the field-fridge for the urine samples ( those always useful cereal boxes...). I'm proud of being ingenious still, I thought that university had managed to kill all my creativity.

Around 11 am the macaques left the Amphitheatre. It was funny to see the great George crossing all the open area between the Amphitheatre and Czech, followed from far by Artemis and then, the rest of the troop running behind.
They moved fast through Czech and its snowy slopes and I lost the Londoner, who radioed me. " As long as you follow any of the monkeys you won't get lost" I told her. I thought it was better that than try to find her and loose the monkeys. Anyway, we were both close to the fence and I had saw her just five minutes before, so she couldn't be too far. She wasn't, her steps sounded in the snow disturbing Joan that looked at her with anxiety. I had to remind her (to the Londoner, not to Joan), to cough often so the monkeys get used to her...It's nearly my first time as guide-teacher, I do what I can!

Once in the beginning of Parallel they started to travel slower, spending time to feeding on insects and old acorns; but they finally reached the area near the road.

After lunch, all the batteries of the camera were empty, so I had to concentrate on faeces. Even in the Green group, this task neither is nor very entertained. Anyway, Helen gave me one sample after only half an hour following her. By her part, the Londoner was trying her sound recording equipment and made some focal trials on Artemis and Lewis.

Around 15h, all the monkeys climbed onto the trees near the car-park at the begining of UK and start to sleep and to groom. I grabbed my urine-collector and waited...and I nearly missed a sample from Oz who was lying; I didn't expect that a lying monkey could pee! normally they sit before!! I could only catch some drops, around 0'1ml. I tried to run a urianalysis, but probably I'll have to repeat it; there wasn't enough urine fore the last strip.

Around 16:30 the Boss and the French arrived really pissed off after a hard they of marking trees for the ecological transects (side effects of inaccurate GPS). The Boss tested the Londoner while I presented the monkeys to the French, who will work with them soon. We left them at nearly 17h with sadness...after working with the tourists group, coming back with the green group is as being in holydays; even if you have to walk much more; the fact of being in the forest and in silence is relaxing enough. Two days off had to pass before try to find them again.





Day 5: Sunday 11th March 2012

After checking UK, where we left them two days before, we continued to Texas, where we didn’t find them either. Notwithstanding, I could find the rests of two different hunted birds by predators and to remind the lesson that the Valencian taught me when we went for a walk through Montnegre, near Barcelona. If the tips of the feathers are complete, the predator was probably a bird of prey; if, by the contrary, the tips are broken, the predator was, more likely, a mammal.





Somehow discouraged, we started the search on Parallel where we probably missed a fair amount of area because we checked in a weird way. I began to think that it wasn’t my day and I was right. When trying to find one of the entrances to the Y valley from the fence, I don’t know how, but I ended up in Portugal. After, we checked Y valley from the entrances of the road and the Londoner as well as me found some fresh tracks. We should have tried to follow them…well, in fact the plan was to check No Names (the valleys just on the side of Y) and, if we didn’t find more fresh tracks again, check again Big valley and Parallel. However, as before, I ended up in California instead of No Names and the Londoner in Y valley…(Not my day at all...)

Feeling useless as an asshole on an elbow, we had lunch and I let the Londoner to decide what to check next. She wanted to go to the Amphitheatre after checking UK again. So we did, but, apart form nearly loosing my map of the home range, we didn’t manage too much.

In all those long hours walking I had time to think in how stupid the way things work are. All the experts that already have the experience to track well monkeys are confined behind desks and the students have to learn from other students who have only some more months of experience…the same in lab. Science, you make me so angry some times…

No without some difficulties (again, I don’t know what was wrong with my mind today, but everything was blurred), we found Gash; she walked down Gash valley and I did the same through vertical. Nothing.

Trying to take advantage of the only information we had so far, we decided to check Parallel again quite thoroughly; the tracks found during the morning were relatively near to the place and I had the intuition that they should go to one of the flat areas near the road. Half an hour later the Londoner radioed me telling me that she was with the monkeys near the road between Texas and Parallel. Oh man…it was nearly 15:30.

When I got there, two Moroccan tourists were feeding our monkeys. I couldn’t believe it…I felt so disappointed that my little Greens were doing such an awful thing…yeah, as the Boss said latter, they are just monkeys, but even though, it was the first time that I felt betrayed by an animal…

After some training in ID with the Londoner, I tried to follow Lewis to finish with the faecal sample collection of the week. Then, more tourists arrived. Oz, Lewis and George as well as some juveniles ran there to receive a piece of bread. The Londoner asked that if we should say the tourists to stop; I told her no, that probably the Boss wouldn’t want us to interfere, and I was right. Apparently, we cannot say anything to the awful tourists just in case that, afterwards, they complaint to the national park and they withdraw our research permit. One of those as stupid as frequent situations in which the victim has to take care and the killer can do what he pleases. It’s extremely annoying that one of the causes that is driving this species to extinction is just the silly vagaries of selfish humans who worth less than the air they breathe…

The tourist didn’t appear on the hourly scan I could take, only the piece of bread that the males were still chewing delightfully. I was so, so disappointed… But well, no female did that, I guess I can respect them still. At the end of the scan, more tourists appeared, some that decided that it was a great idea to make a fire to cook in the middle of the forest.

After a while, the infants and juveniles started to scream and, shortly after, a scream fight started; Oz against Artemis, that first supported by George and Lewis. No trace of Noddy. I tried to follow Lewis to see if I could collect his sample, but he chased Kerry so quickly that I lost him. However, when he came back and the fight was ended, I saw him shitting “I cannot be so lucky” I thought. Exactly, I wasn’t. He sat on it and the sample became completely inlaid on his ass. I was following him for a while before the last scan. More tourists appeared then, and the Boss.

Ah, little Greens…I really thought that you were different. Obviously I always think too well on people and animals. Silly me.




Day 6: 12th March 2012

Today was an especial day for me. At last, after nearly 5 months I dared to wear only one layer of trousers and socks! The temperatures are increasing and I love it. It's a pitty that I have to leave so early and that I'm not going to have summer this year...but I think that I will like the winter of where I'm going in a couple of months...

It was also especial because our little monkeys were waiting for us just a couple of meters away from the parking. Actually, most were still on the trees, but Helen came down to make sure that we were able to see them (yeah, ok, too much humanization, but a life without fantasy is not my life!).

Nearly two hours later I managed to catch my first good urine sample of the Green Group; some precious centilitres delivered by Joan that fell on my urine-catcher (as well on my coat and face, of course...). Happy, I wrote to the Boss to know if I could use that urine to do the analysis or if it was still too soon (we cannot use the first urine of the day because of concentration matters). While I filled completely and eppendorf (1.5 wonderful ml); the Boss replied with green light...but then I realized that I didn't have the tapper ware with all the labels and the table to read the test! PANIIIIIC!!! ( as the English would say). But remember, I'm the Spanish version of McGiver; tougher and harsher (he, he). I tried to call the French to see if she could drive to the site and bring the table they had, but she didn't answer. I texted the Boss to ask her for the Moroccan number of the French, but she didn't reply either. So, I carried out the text, took a picture of it against a blank background and then read it with a picture I had in the camera of another day's test. Then I labelled the sample as many times as possible as to be sure that my stupid oblivion didn't screw up the day.

I couldn't believe that I had forgot the labels and the table...I'm getting older...or my brain should come back from its Sabatical year...soon!

Of course, during the rest of the day every body decided to shit; so I got 6 samples with my shabby handmade labels. And another full urine sample of Anna, whom I advise to drink more water cause the sample was fluorescent yellow.


The Londoner was trying again her sound equipment and doing some focals. Once, I saw her and asked her "Are you following anybody?" She, a little bit annoyed because I screwed up her focal, switched the device off and told me to repeat. I did, and she told me that she was following Simon "Are you sure?" I said..."because that one is Mac!” Yeah, I interrupted on purpose, I knew that probably she was thinking that was Simon; I made the same mistake on my first weeks, I don't know why, they are quite dissimilar. I told her that Simon had like a T-rex face, with and evil smile. She didn't agree on the T-rex part.

They spent most of the day in UK and only the last couple of hours move slowly to Texas. The Londoner was quite worried about George, because we hadn't see him in the whole day. I told her that probably he would be watching us from one of the trees from a prudent distance. He is like that, cool, like a honey badger . However, she was worried. She even told me that she was afraid because she saw some bullet shells the day before... I told her that he was George, George!...but I also reminded how Twix, one of the males of the tourists group, appeared once with a wound that seemed to be from a shot...

Only the idea of George dead was creepy...But he is George. So, when looking around to find as many monkeys as possible for the next scan, I saw something that I couldn't believe. In the middle of the group, on a oak tree, there was George... being groomed by Noddy! For me was completely shocking. During the mating season, when I met the Green Group, male grooming was quite weird and the only groomings that I remember with George was with females...who groomed him, but he never gave back the favour, as long as I saw at least.




Day 7: Tuesday 13th March 2012

This time, the Boss stayed with us the first hours before going to collect the two new master students in Fez. We found the monkeys in Texas, pretty much in the same spot that we left them the day before. I was a kind of nervous because of the present of the Boss; some times I’ve got the impression that she doesn’t trust me and that she came to check what I was doing in the Green group (apparently it’s a paranoia of me, according to her).

The first faecal sample of the day was delivered by Noddy, who, of course, had to do it just 5 minutes before the hourly scan. While I was processing the sample, he also peed, and I had to carry out his urineanalysis (this time I remember to take everything with me!). So, I was 15’ late for the scan and they had all travelled to Berber valley (yeaaaaah…they play with us, I know it).

During the rest of the morning I could collect also the faecal samples of Rebecca and Joan. After, following the last days’ routine, they went up to the trees to sleep and to groom.

Then, I went to have my lunch and to employ my McGiver skills in favour of something no related to the project: smoking. My lighter had fall into pieces during the morning for unexplainable reasons when I had it into my pocket; so with it, which had gas; another one I had in my backpack without gas but which could produce sparks and my Claddagh ring, I could, after 10 minutes trying, finally light my cigarette…After which I thought that I really need to give up if I’m able to do something so complicated only to smoke (even if it was a quite remarkable feat, useful in more life-or-dead situations).

When I came back, the Londoner went to have her lunch and I was going around the trees with my urine-catcher prepared for any unexpected urine precipitation. While doing so, I could see a very comic scene. An infant climbed down to a branch where there was a rest of rope tied around it. First, he looked at it with distrusts (see the picture, even if it's blurred I love his face). After, he came closer carefully, and crouched to look at it closely. Then he dared to touch it, and suddenly he jumped backward as if he was scare. He looked at it again and left. I love the infants, they are always interesting to see them playing or exploring.

The urine donor was Lewis this time who, of course, to don’t disrespect the traditions of the troop, peed just before the 14h scan. This time I tried a different strategy and, given that all the monkeys had moved some 20m from where I was processing the sample, I dared to leave the stuff there while trying to do the scan…but there was a scream fight (against Artemis, as usual) and the monkeys ran everywhere around and I had to come back to guard my stuff, even if them seemed to be completely uninterested by them.

A couple of hours later there was another scream fight, while all the males where on the top of the trees. Quickly, I localized George, who delivered a faecal sample that splashed onto the ground becoming a nice bird-shaped faeces. Shortly afterwards he also peed and I tried to collect it, but I only managed to be showered…iggg…

I collected the faecal sample, because most of the urine fell far from it and I thought to remember that the Boss told us to collect the samples that we were almost sure (at least more than a 50%) that weren’t contaminated…but apparently I was wrong and when coming back from the field, the Boss was kind of pissed off because I collected the sample and I had to throw it away…sigh…

When I was going to start the scan of 16h, I saw that Kerry was about to shit so, this time, I tried another strategy ( I’m full of resources…yeah, I’m advertising me, just in case someone interesting is having a look…’…a girl can dream, no?). I took out a glove and started the scan while watching at her. She shitted and I collected the sample with the glove and continue with the scan. When I finished, I processed the sample.
It’s good to try different strategies, makes things more interesting.

There were no more samples the rest of the day (well, I had already all the faecals I needed, or at least I thought so, before I had to toss George’s one). Around half an hour before leaving, the monkeys started to go onto the trees while other, like monkey-cows, pastured on a little meadow in the border of Texas. It was a good chance to test the Londoner's identification skills, which are better but she still needs some more time.




Day 8: Wednesday14th March 2012

Again the monkeys had been merciful with us and they had remained pretty much in the same place where we left them the day before, in Texas.


This day I had to do photogrammetry. If this is difficult with the tourists group because they hardly move and it’s nearly impossible to get some stand positions (especially from Fingers, Chocobon and Pepito, who are so lazy that sometimes they can drag their bum on the floor instead of walking if they want to reach something close); in the Green group is the other way around. They move so much that even the sit positions are difficult to take, and that without taking into account all the vegetation.

In doing my pirouettes in order to get the pictures, I could see Danny peeing and defecating (not in the same place, she was sitting on a rock, so the faeces fall on the ground without touching the rock and most of the urine remained on the stone). And yeah, as you can imagine, there were 5 minutes left for the next scan…

I collected the urine and kept it without labelling to don’t be late on the scan; while the monkeys crossed UK. When I finished, I labelled the sample and carried out the urine analysis. When everything was complete I realized that neither the Londoner nor the monkeys were in UK anymore. I radioed her and she told me that they were in Parallel. I struggled a little bit to find them and I was a little bit in a bad mood. I was still a little bit affected for having to toss the George’s sample the day before; sometimes it seems that you can work as hard as you can but only your mistakes are important…

The photogrametry and the scans in Parallel were a nightmare with all the vegetations, the rocks and the monkeys travelling all the time towards the fence.

When reaching the Big Valley, George appeared. “Hombre George, a tí te quería yo ver” I told him low; and I was following him trying to get some pictures while paying attention to see if I could get another faecal sample. The Londoner radioed me because she thought that I had lost them again; I told her that I was in the same place but that I was with George and, as a consequence, I was 30m far from anybody else (Such a lovely macaque).


While following him I heard some juveniles screaming quite scared looking at the ground. "Might be a snake?" I thought and I went to see ( yeah...I know...). However, it wasn't a reptile. Instead I found what seemed to the leftovers of and hedgehog; at least its thorns. After I touched with a stick and the juveniles saw that it didn't move, they lost interest and kept on playing with each other as usual.

The time arrive to do another scan and to leave George and, of course, just then, the monkeys decided to climb to Czech. Another great scan, improved by the thorns of the plants that I got dig on my legs and arms while trying to find more monkeys for the scan.

When the monkeys reached the top, instead of travelling to the Amphitheatre as I was hoping (it’s a really beautiful place), they travelled perpendicular to the valleys and we delayed our lunches, thinking that they would, at some point, cross to the Amphitheatre. But they didn’t. Instead, they started their siesta-grooming time in the middle of Vertical, and we then take advantage of the situation to go to eat taking turns.

After the rest, the monkeys kept travelling, reaching the Gash; area where I could take a couple of decent pictures for the photogrammetry (even if Noddy was torturing me by changing the posture each 5 seconds…).

By 16h they had got to the beginning of Portugal; and Simon was on the top of an enormous cedar contemplating the Alps. I was too tired to keep doing photogrammetry and we only had half an hour left before coming back to the parking, so I was testing to the Londoner on identification. As everybody else, sometimes you thing you finally know them and, somehow, you still do some awful mistakes. But be patient, in a couple of days you will arrive to the field and, suddenly, you will recognize them perfectly from one day to the other.