Gorilla Tommy

 

From James Bruce and Mungo Park to David Livingstone and Henry Morgan Stanley, the history of Africa is criss-crossed with the footprints of European explorers. While early explorers sought to map the continent or search for the source of the Nile, some who followed came with decidedly more selfish motives: seeking fame, fortune and profit from the continent’s resources. 

 

But for others, Africa cast a magic spell… which brings us to our storied explorer, Gorilla Tommy. 

 

Tommy is an exploitive collector and trader with a get-rich-quick agenda. That is, until his cargo plane goes down. He survives, barely, thanks to his timely rescue by indigenous peoples who treat his severe injuries. The experience results in a new-found respect for the deep wisdom of his benefactors and their spiritual connection with their environment. Although he remains a newcomer to the forest, he becomes a worthy student of its ways.

 

Tommy finds himself captivated by stories of the Koolookamba, a legendary and mysterious ape.He suspects that the Koolookamba is a species that scientists have yet to describe, so he searches for clues about the creature, attempting to photograph and record its vocalizations. Days build into months and as they do, he awakens to a far deeper understanding of Africa. Stirred by the land, it’s people and their ways, he begins to protect the animals from which he once sought to profit.  

 

From his slippery beginnings as a financial opportunist, Tommy becomes a man transformed into a passionate defender of nature.

 

Visit Tommy's Treehouse and get a window into his world.