By Jillian Weislo

The group huddled around the infant in fascination.  Each adult touched it gently, seeming to savor the miracle of life.

These chimpanzees, though not related to each other, sure had formed a beautiful family.

The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary is home to the only chimps in Kenya.  Chimps are not native to Kenya, but are found in 21 African countries ranging from nearby Uganda and Tanzania to western Africa.  The greatest concentration of chimps can be found in the rain forest along the equatorial forest belt, which includes the Democratic Republic of Congo (DCR). 

The biggest threat to chimps living in the DCR is the bushmeat trade.  This leaves many young chimps orphaned, which is where Sweetwaters steps in.  They rescue orphans and chimps being sold and traded illegally.  Unlike zoos, Sweetwaters is a sanctuary that needs to have enough room to take in traumatized orphans.  Therefore, females are kept on birth control.  Most of the older females are willing to take in an orphan and care for it as her own.

This juvenile got lucky with a second chance at life and an accepting new mother.

I have never seen chimps so active before.  It was amazing to see them in a somewhat natural habitat instead of a zoo in New York.  They only thing between me and a great ape sharing 98.6% of my DNA was a thin electric fence.  The dominant male made sure we knew he was dominant by running up and down the fence, hitting it with a stick, and screaming.  One of the younger males came up and as a person in our group turned their back, threw a rock at him and then ran away screaming with excitement.  It was quite entertaining not only to the chimp, but our group as well.  The juveniles proved to be the ultimate gymnasts as they tumbled and somersaulted. 

Sometimes you just need some time to yourself.

The Sweetwaters Chimp Sanctuary sits inside the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa.  It amazes me that the human conditions seems nowhere more apparent than here in the home of chimpanzees and black rhinos.

We left the Nanyuki are and went to the Princeton Research Station, which is a part of the Mpala Ranch in Laikipia.  There were really nice dorms, labs, and a huge kitchen area, but that's not where we stayed.  Instead, we drove a half hour away on a dirt road and camped around huge piles of elephant dung and carried a shovel with us for when "nature called".  At least we had a nice view right by the river.

Stay tuned for Part 3...in which I camp in the land of elephants!

• Click here to see part 1 of this travel exclusive