You always hope for close encounters. You just can’t be sure what exactly “close” will entail. Sometimes, it turns out to be a shoulder check from a silverback.

You can do all the research you want about the mountain gorillas, but there’s still the anticipation and the feeling of the unknown as you embark. How large are they in person? How will they act around you? How close will you be to these animals you’ve only seen in images? An hour-and-a-half drive over rocky dirt roads provided plenty of time to mull these questions over.

My first hike in Rwanda began near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I followed my guide and ranger as we passed through farmland before reaching the edge of the jungle. It took just a few moments before radio static interrupted the ambient sounds around us. The trackers had found the family.

Having expected the trek to take an hour or two, this surprise half an hour in felt like being told your tooth would be pulled on the count of three, only for the dentist to yank it out on two. 

Startling, but you’re grateful for it later. 

With little time to overthink, I was soon dropping my bag and following my guide deeper into the thicket. When we reached the Igisha family, I was greeted by mothers feeding their infants, juveniles swinging from branches and climbing trees, and even a silverback deciding to mate with one of the females about five feet in front of me. Vignettes—some more family-friendly than others—unfolding all around me.

Under the cover of the dense foliage, I looked for subjects in patches of light that might make for better exposures. One of those subjects was a female lying in a bed of leaves. She was relaxed, eating one moment, then playing with the branches and leaves the next. Like an experienced model, she knew exactly where the camera was, experimenting with a variety of poses.

One of the leaders of the family wasn’t as thrilled with this photo shoot as I was. Branches snapped behind me, and I turned to see one of the silverbacks fast-walking on his fists straight for me. I soon found myself on the receiving end of a shoulder check as he went to sit between me and the female. I crab-shuffled to the side, managing to stay in my squatting position.

With animal encounters, you find yourself mirroring the comfort level of the experienced guides. In this instance, mine broke out in laughter after I got steamrolled. It became clear there was no real threat, so this burly silverback would become my next subject.

His stature, his posture, his piercing gaze, and the deep, fresh wound on his hand—all spoke to his role. 

He was the enforcer.