Julie and the elephants

Last September, my niece Julie married Quentin. Yes, I was there – in my liturgical robe and for the first time pastorally involved with my French family. (( emotion mixed with pride in a totally not Calvinist way ))

A few months later, Julie officially became a veterinarian and was hired by the Musée de l’homme in Paris, in the research department. Her mission of 3 years : study elephants. This means living 4 months a year, in 2 installments, in a place where they live in the wild. (I regretted instantly that that hordes of wild elephants do not roam free in the Olympic peninsula)

A few weeks ago, Julie arrived in Uganda, in the research station located at the north of the national park of Kibale. She went along with a friend who studies chimpanzees. They flew to Entebbe via Bruxelles. We know she made it ok and now receive collective news when the internet accepts to collaborate.

Julie ready to fly off. All the suitcases are not hers! 

Her mission is to study elephants, but she is also in charge of working with farmers on the damages that elephants have been causing in fields and crops for the past 10 years. She met villagers about it, some of them upset and frustrated. Scientists have been coming and asking them questions over the years – for their researches, not for providing help. People affected by the situation feel, understandably, that they got forgotten in the process.

Julie’s project will be different: support will be included. But she cannot mention it yet because all the papers are not all signed, and she does not know when this program will be able to start.

Elephant met in the forest 

As for the daily life at the research station, there are ups and downs. Water and power come and go. The closest road across the forest is in construction – it will be larger. The pipes bringing water were buried along the road and suffer from the work being done so close. Water has been turned down a lot, which means no flush and no showers. Rain is rare, this is dry season.

The research station 

But Julie’s enthusiasm is intact. She is delighted with the discoveries that this new life brings, including meeting Jerome, a chameleon. He spent a few days with Julie and her friends, but after a standoff with a colony of ants, he went on to live in a banana tree close by.

Jerome 

To be followed…