| John Lydon
is famous as the scabrous voice of the Sex Pistols -- but what he isn't
as well known for is his love of animals. Fresh from his controversial
appearance in 'I'm a Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here', Lydon embraces nature
in a special series in which he gets close to some of the world's most
fearsome predators. In this week's edition, Lydon is off to South Africa
to fulfil a childhood fantasy -- to swim with a great white shark. "This
is a dream come true for me," says John excitedly, as he heads off
to Cape Town with his friend John to begin his adventure. "I was
in love with sharks from an early age -- much more so than music."
Although Lydon scoffs at the demonised media image of the shark as a ruthless
killer -- largely created by 'Jaws' -- it is an ominous start to his trip
when he sees the headline of a local newspaper, which screams 'Shark Kills
Poacher'.
John has a special wetsuit tailored to his specific tastes -- a black
number with garish yellow hoops. "I want to look as inedible as I
can," laughs John. John's first task is to learn to scuba dive. It
is a dangerous activity even without the presence of sharks, and John
is drilled on breathing techniques and safety procedures. John will be
diving in the wild with great whites from the relative safety of a cage.
"It doesn't even have a lock on it," exclaims Lydon inspecting
its slender frame. "Anyone could break in." After sitting an
exam on scuba diving, the instructor informs a relieved John and his pal
that they have passed -- and are now qualified scuba divers.
The next step for John is to swim in an aquarium with some docile ragged-tooth
sharks. Although these sharks are highly unlikely to attack, John is advised
not to make any sudden movements or try to touch the sharks while in the
water. John is then plunged into the tank, and watches in fascination
as the graceful fish swim around him, paying him no heed. "It was
great fun seeing them up close to you," he says afterwards. John
then goes out on a boat with prolific shark photographer Chris Fellowes
to Seal Island, where there is a good chance they will see some sharks
in the wild. What they see even surprises Chris: no fewer than 11 incidents
of sharks attacking seals around the perimeter of the small island.
"This meets my wildest expectations... and then some," John
says. John is concerned that sharks are not being protected -- and 100
million of them are killed by humans each year. Shark fins are regard
as a delicacy, and culls are seen to be justified by the rare occasion
when they attack humans. John meets a teen surfer who had his leg bitten
off by a shark, who is quite philosophical about his ordeal.
"Whatever happens to us is at our own risk," he says, impressing
John with his attitude. John is then taken to Shark Alley, an area of
ocean two hours north of Cape Town, where he sees great whites swimming
up close to the boat. "I'm an ugly old sod, but what you're about
to see is a proper set of dentures," he says. The only thing left
for John to do after this is to get in the cage and see them up close
in the water. He shows no nerves as he clambers into the cage, before
it is lowered slowly into the water. It isn't long before the shape of
a great white looms towards him in the murky water. Soon the shark's piercing
eyes are inches away from John's -- as are the cavernous jaws, filled
with teeth that look capable of ripping the cage apart.
But the shark takes no objection to John's presence, and circles the cage
slowly while John watches, bewitched by the grace and strength of the
huge fish. When John is finally hoisted back on board the boat, he feels
as if he has achieved something truly special. "This is one of the
best things I have ever had the chance to do," he says. "I feel
a real sense of awe."
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| Following
last week's shark adventure, John Lydon continues his quest to learn more
about the world with this African quest to find the elusive mountain gorilla.
John meets rescued chimpanzees at a sanctuary; treks into Uganda's Bwindi
Impenetrable Forest National Park to see the endangered mountain gorillas
in the wild; and meets more gorillas across the border in Rwanda.
John's adventure starts at Lake Victoria, the biggest lake in Africa.
He journeys across the lake on a tiny boat -- crossing the equator in
the process -- to the island of Ngamba, home to a chimp sanctuary which
houses 39 orphaned and rescued chimpanzees. Sanctuary co-founder Debbie
Cox introduces John to the baby chimps. "They've got really great
faces," exclaims John. "I can see personalities in them."
They then take a walk with some of the baby chimps. "I'm dying to
see what they're going to do with that hair!" says Debbie of John's
tri-coloured barnet. Sure enough, the chimps are intrigued and try and
lick it, possibly viewing the blue section of John's head as an unusual
fruit. John is impressed with the chimps' strength and agility, describing
them as "happy little hooligans." Back at the camp, John assists
with some chimp surgery when a female chimpanzee needs a contraceptive
implant and a health check.
Then he heads off back to the mainland to travel across Uganda into the
south-west rainforests. The group arrives at the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest,
a national park which is one of the few places left on Earth where the
endangered mountain gorilla can be seen in the wild -- it is home to around
320 of the 700 mountain gorillas left. After an hour's hike into the forest,
they set up camp and meet Ian Redmond, a leading expert in the field of
primatology who was a research assistant to Dian Fossey of 'Gorillas in
the Mist' fame. The trek sets off, accompanied by armed guards who are
protecting the group against militia and poachers who hope to catch the
gorillas for the bush-meat and illegal pet industries. The group are hoping
to see a family group, and head off the trail into thicker jungle. When
they finally spot some, John is stunned: "Words... are... useless,"
he breathes. A family group of gorillas cross the path in front of them,
including a huge silverback. Adult male silverbacks are the largest living
primates, capable of weighing three times as much as an average man, with
an arm span of up to eight feet.
The trekkers are also delighted to find a gorilla nest up in a tree, and
witness the extremely rare sight of a group of 23 gorillas crossing a
stream. Ian Redmond is amazed, citing this as only the fifth or sixth
time that he has seen this happen in over 20 years -- gorillas are not
keen on water; they cannot swim and rarely drink, obtaining water from
their food. John is not taking his good fortune ain witnessing this lightly.
Describing the family group, he says: "I'm in the blessed trilogy
of gorilla-dom!
Who could ask for any more? Well, I got more... I've never laughed or
smiled as much in my whole life. Africa, all you do is make me smile.
Stop it! It's not fair, I won't be handsome any more!" After crossing
the border into Rwanda, John is given the opportunity to see more mountain
gorillas in the wild: this time in the Parc National Des Volcans, part
of the same mountain range. Around 380 mountain gorillas live here, and
after a two-hour trek reaching altitudes of 9,000 feet above sea level.
John is delighted to see a small family group: a silverback and female
resting under tree in which a baby plays.
On his last night in Africa, John is treated to the sight of local villagers
celebrating the treasured mountain gorilla with a performance by the Ballet
Inganzo, a troupe of musicians from rural Rwanda. An enraptured John joins
in with the party: "I'm in heaven," he sighs. |