National Geographic: Flight Over Africa Page #4

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I don't know

how old it is.

He seems very cold.

He was hugging himself

when I found him.

And it's,

I'm shocked by it.

I don't know what

to think.

He's just sitting here.

Oh my god.

I've got to go.

Most of the chimps

in the orphanage

were captured by poachers

to be sold as pets.

Though they are extremely

appealing as babies,

growing chimpanzees

are too smart

and too destructive

to make good pets.

Once the chimps

become powerful adults,

they must be

confined in cages,

a lonely place for

these social primates,

who quickly become bored

and desperate for attention.

Soon,

Dean hopes the orphanage

may be able to give

some chimps

a little more freedom.

This is a

temporary situation.

We're hoping to

get money together to out

them into the sanctuary

that we're talking about.

And there they'll be,

they'll all be together.

They won't have cages,

they won't have ropes.

They'll be on an open space

where they can have a

semi-natural social life.

Which is so important

for chimpanzees.

Wildlife in Africa seems

to be in direct conflict

with people here because

they need space

and the animals need space

and the animals end up losing...

I was impressed that

someone was trying

to take these chimps that

had already basically list so much,

they were trying to

in a way give them back

to themselves and nature.

May be its not perfect.

Nut it was something.

Soon Claytor must leave Africa,

and make the rest of

his way around the globe.

But first, he wants

to make one more stop.

For some time,

he has wanted to visit Zaire.

But so far, he hasn't been

granted clearance to land there.

Okay, this is Mike Oscar

in southern Zaire.

Over.

Mike Oscar...

is there any way for me

to confirm a clearance from Ndola?

Over

That's very difficult

because of the fact that

there's no telephone

communication between

the two places. Over

Okay, roger.

If I arrive with my copy

of my AFTN request,

how easy is it to negotiate

once on the ground?

Over.

How much money

do you have? Over

I've got a fair amount.

How much do you

think it would cost? Over.

At least $250 each. Over

Roger, I understand.

The turbulent political

situation in Zaire

makes it extremely difficult

to get permission

to enter the country.

Claytor decides

to go in any way,

without an official

clearance.

He'll touch down at

a small airstrip

where he can refuel

form his own supply.

If he's lucky, no one will

ask him for his papers.

In Africa there's a rule

an unwritten rule,

and that is that it's easier to

get pardoned than

to get permission.

Because of communications

and how difficult

it is to get clearance

and things,

its sometimes easier

just tot do them and afterwards,

of course,

you get in trouble.

But the Africans

are very forgiving.

Good people,

and very often

they'll forgive you.

For Claytor,

everyday is part of

a grand-if

solitary-adventure.

He's been away form home

for nearly three years

and it could be

three more before he returns.

From Africa,

he will head east to the

four remaining continents

between him a home.

Claytor has grown accustomed

to being a stranger

everywhere he goes

but he is also changed

by every place he visits

and every person

he meets.

I think there's a part of me

that's become a little bit African,

because the Africans have

a saying

which is when you

ask them

when they'll come back or

what time something will be ready

they'll smile and look at you

and say anytime from now.

So when people ask me

when I'm going to get home

sometimes I just can

only say anytime from now.

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