Craig Hatkoff
Looking for Miza is the amazing, true story of a baby gorilla named Miza who lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the summer of 2007, Miza and her mother were separated from the rest of their troop of nearly 30 gorillas. Sadly, it is believed that her mother named Lessinjina was killed leaving Miza alone and frightened for several days in the jungle of Virunga National Park. Luckily, Miza's father, Kabirizi—a legendary silver-back gorilla whose job is to protect and provide for his family—went looking for Miza. He rescued Miza and brought her back to live with her family. Miza is now being raised by her sister, Tumaini, and her half brother, Mivumbi.
Q: How did you first hear about Miza? What inspired you and your daughters to share her story?
A: In June 2007, I saw a breaking news story about the senseless murder of a number of gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was horrible and I was shocked by the initial photographs. It was hard-hitting tragic news and the furthest thing from my mind was the possibility of writing a children's book. Then, I heard about Miza.
Our co-author from the Owen & Mzee series, Dr. Paula Kahumbu, who had recently started working as the head of conservation for Wildlife Direct, had learned of a motherless baby gorilla from the Kabirizi family: a little girl named Mutamiza (or Miza for short).
Paula, our photographer Peter Greste, and Emmanuel De Merode, who at the time was the CEO of WildlifeDirect based in the DR Congo, trekked into the Mikeno Sector of Virunga National Forest, with the help of two mountain rangers named Innocent and Diddy, to find her.
Miza's mother, Lessenjina, had been killed and two-year-old Miza was missing. The rangers were looking for Miza, but so was her father, Kabirizi. Then, on one of their treks, Peter was able to get a single photo of a scared, young gorilla peering out from a bush. You could only see one eye in the photo (it is the photo we used for the back cover of the book), but Innocent and Diddy were able to confirm from her nose print that it was Miza. Kabirizi returned home with little Miza; Innocent and Diddy were elated, and we knew we had our story.
Q: Miza's story is an important one to tell because of what is happening right now to mountain gorillas. Why are mountain gorillas in such grave danger?
A: With a remaining world population of only 720 mountain gorillas, this species is one of the most highly endangered on the planet. Their environmental plight is intensified by political, economic, and humanitarian challenges. The gorillas reside in the volcanic region of the Virunga Mountains, at the intersection of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where illegal charcoal trafficking, poaching, and loss of habitat from human encroachment, are compounded by a paramilitary conflict that prevents the Congolese mountain rangers from accessing and protecting the gorillas.
Q: What is the job of a ranger? What makes their job so difficult?
A: The ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature) oversees approximately 650 mountain rangers in the DR Congo. The rangers are critical to the gorillas' survival, as they track the movements of the gorillas, attend to their health and medical needs, and observe the general conditions on the ground. The rangers' job is very dangerous because they are in the middle of the DR Congo's military conflict and often encounter attacks from the "charcoal mafia" and poachers. More than 100 rangers have been killed in the line of duty over the past ten years.
Q: Why is the political situation surrounding mountain gorillas so tricky?
A: Rwanda has stabilized their situation and has built an impressive eco-tourism industry for "trekking" to see the gorillas in their natural habitat. But, unfortunately, the trans-boundary co-operation among Rwanda, Uganda, and DR Congo has been difficult to solve. The mountain gorillas can wander across the borders, complicating their tracking, protection, and other jurisdictional issues.
Q: Kabirizi is legendary amongst the rangers for his bravery and fierceness. What is his role as his family's leader?
A: Kabirizi started his family when he was about 12 years old. He fought off potential suitors and it seemed, for a while, that he was an unlikely silverback of any importance. But, as he developed, his skills, bravery, and intelligence enabled him to assemble the largest known family. There is typically only one silverback alpha male per family unit, known as a troop. Occasionally, there is a non-threatening silverback who is subservient. The maturing adult males will either try to displace Kabirizi (no easy feat as of yet), or become subservient, or split off and try to find their own families.
Q: Is it true that Miza's family members are helping to raise her? Why is this so extraordinary?
A: When Miza was a 2-year-old, she was still a nursing baby and would normally nurse from her mother until she was three. She had begun eating other food—mainly vegetation, particularly bamboo—in the photos, you can see that her hands were very red and raw, which meant she was struggling to switch over from mother's milk that was no longer available. Since then, she has managed to flourish under the care of her sister, Tumaini, and her half brother, Mivumbi, who, along with others, are caring for her.
Q: Most people don't know that every mountain gorilla has a unique nose print.
A: Yes, while mountain gorillas probably have unique finger prints, it would be impossible to get close enough to fingerprint them! But each gorilla also has a distinctive nose print or pattern that helps to identify them. I was immediately struck by the visual power of these nose prints—they were all different and very organic—powerful icons that could transcend the book itself. My daughters and I made our versions based on renderings from the rangers' notebooks. I think they are fun and fanciful, yet poignant.
Q: Have you traveled to Africa and met any of the rangers and gorillas?
A: I went to Kenya two summers ago and met Owen and Mzee. I was completely mesmerized. It was almost surreal. I just returned from Rwanda where I trekked with the Rwanda gorillas. I do hope that the dangerous situation in the DR Congo is settled and that as a family we will be able to trek to see the Kabirizi family and get the opportunity to see Kabirizi, Tumaini, Mivumbi and, of course, Miza. We will keep looking for Miza—both metaphorically and literally—until we find her.
Q: Why do you think these animal stories—Owen & Mzee, Knut, and Looking for Miza—touch both young readers and adults?
A: These are all stories about real animals in real world situations and crises. Kids always relate to animals. But our stories enable kid and adults to connect together and use these stories as tools and resources to help us deal and better understand real problems that require solutions and resiliency. I think of these animals literally everyday. We have played with Knut in Berlin when he was small. Our stories seem to work well at many different levels whether it be scientific, emotional, or even spiritual. These stories touch so many people in so many ways. These adventurous stories have been a journey for our entire family.
Q: How are Miza and her family doing right now?
A:While the mountain rangers can't get into the gorilla sector at the time that I'm writing this, we have had recent confirmation from the mountain rangers that there had been sightings of Kabirizi, Miza, Tumaini, and Mivumbi who we believe are all alive and doing well. But now we will do what we can to help ensure their survival and will ask other kids to help along with us.
Contributor: Scholastic
Reviews
Looking For Miza: the True Story of the Mountain Gorilla Family Who Rescued One of Their Own
Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff and Paula Kahumbu
Photographs by Peter Creste
A missing toddler, whether human or primate, is cause for great concern. In the vast forests and jungles of the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, baby Miza and her mother, Lessinjina are missing from the family group of gorillas. Park rangers rush to the mountain camp of the gorillas, only to find that the head of the family, a silverback named Kabirizi, is also missing. While searches scour the mountain, it is not until several days later that Miza returns... found and brought back to safety by Kabiriza. Sadly, Miza's mother does not return, and no trace of her has ever been found. This heartwarming photo essay captures not only the drama of the loss and return of little Miza but also the dedication of the rangers who work tirelessly to maintain the safety of the dwindling gorilla population. Woven into the narrative is information about the habits and habitat of these primates. As they did for Owen and Mzee, unlikely friends after the tsunmai in Indonesia, and Knut, the abandoned polar bear raised by a human, the authors tell another amazing story of animal rescue. The authors hope to bring the plight of these beautiful and endangered animals to light. Youngsters will be touched by the story and relieved by the happy ending, and older readers will hopefully read the deeper message. Remarkable photos show the gorillas in their natural environment and who could resist the cover shot of Miza? 2008, Scholastic, Ages 5 to 10, $16.99. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-08540-3
ISN: 0-545-08450-3
Updated 1/27/09
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