Covering 52 square kilometers, Gombe Stream is the smallest National Park in Tanzania. It is located about 16km north of Kigoma on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in the Western part of Tanzania.
Gombe Stream is home to abundant baboons, but its main highlight are the Chimpanzees. This reserve was established by Jane Goodall and it’s about twenty five years old.
In the 1960’s this great conservationist “Goodall” carried out major research about the relationship between man and the Chimpanzees. These primates are 95% related to humans, they have similar smells, hearing and other senses.
All visitors to the reserve for Chimpanzees are required to pay $100 USD each person per day. It is advised to be careful during the visit because most chimpanzees in the main study community are aggressive.
If you have any signs of infectious diseases don’t expect to be issued with the entry permission. This is because you may spread the diseases to these primates as their immunity system is similar to humans.
Another activity that impress primate lovers in Gombe stream is the Chimpanzee habituation excursion. This includes living in the middle of the dense jungles while following these primates such that they get used to human presence.
It takes good time and with the habituation process, travelers are awarded more time to stay with the chimps than for Chimpanzee tracking.
Chimpanzees are smuggled into the Eastern Europe, Mexico or South America for medical research although this isn’t supported by the Wildlife conservation organizations.
The Goodall institute usually awards anyone who gives evidence to those who abuse the Chimp’s rights. Chimpanzees are omnivores in nature and feed both on fresh and grass. They mostly eat ants, forest fruits, small animals and termites.
Smaller monkeys also act as their food. Chimpanzees live in groups that consist of fifty members and small sub gangs of about eight chimps.