The bonobo is an endangered species of great ape found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They live in tropical rainforests along the Kasai River and south of the Congo River, where they have an omnivorous diet consisting mainly of fruit. Bonobos are unique among apes in that they resolve conflicts through sex rather than aggression. Conservation efforts aim to protect bonobo habitats from threats like bushmeat hunting and deforestation through projects establishing protected areas and educating local communities.

1. Camille Taylor
ANTH 171: Intro to Monkeys & Apes
Prof. Ting; GTF Boose
Conservation Report
November 26, 2013
THE BONOBO
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pan paniscus
COMMON NAME: Bonobo; sometimes referred to as the gracile chimpanzee because
of its smaller body size
LOCOMOTION: terrestrial and aboreal; when they walk as quadrupeds they are
knuckle-walkers, but occasionally they walk upright bipedally and hold a posture
very similar to humans.
CONSERVATION STATUS: They have been listed as endangered species for about 30
years.
POPULATION: 29,500-50,000—has decreased by the largest numbers in the past 30
years.
GEOGRAPHIC REGION: Bonobos live in the tropical rainforests of central Africa in
the Democratic Republic of Congo.

2. HABITAT/ECOLOGY: Bonobos are only found to the north of the Kasai River (as
shown on the map above) and south of the Congo River. These places offer very rich,
humid rainforests for Bonobos. The Congolese government, along with the Bonobo
Conservation Initiative is currently making way for 11,000 square miles of
rainforest for the Bonobo to inhabit as a result of bushmeat hunting and rainforest
loss.
DIET: Bonobos have an omnivorous diet that mainly consists of fruit—occasionally
leaves and even small primates (if necessary).
UNIQUENESS AND SIMILARITY TO HUMANS: Bonobos are infamous for their overly
peaceful ways of resolving conflict within their social groups—they make love, not
war (literally). Like chimpanzees, their social groups breed a lot of tension and
conflict, but Bonobos do not use violence and aggression; instead, they mate a lot.
This constant mating and leisure time kills a lot of birds with one stone: it
strengthens bonds, heals conflict, and relieves stress.
Bonobos are also strangely similar to humans; they share 98% of their DNA with us,
sometimes walk on their hind legs upright, have more distinguished and individual
facial features, and are famous for their language ability. One Bonobo, named Kanzi,
was able to use a lexigram keyboard to communicate symbols to humans. They can
also respond accurately to verbal sentences, such as making hand-gestures.
THREATS THAT FACE BONOBO SPECIES: The main threat to Bonobos is the practice
of bushmeat hunting—it has increased especially during the two Congo Wars in the

3. 1990’s due to the pervasive presence of armed military groups in Central Africa
where Bonobos live. The Salonga National Park is the only national park in the
Bonobo habitat, and even this place has been unprotected from bushmeat hunting in
the past.
EFFORTS BEING MADE FOR CONSERVATION:
-2002: Bonobo Peace Forest Project implemented by Bonobo Conservation Initiative
to protect over 5,000 square miles of Bonobo rainforests from being invaded or
destroyed.
-United Nations and World Wildlife Fund are currently taking action with the
Zoological Society to find ways to perpetuate Bonobo species by protecting the
precious Salonga National Park, funding, and educating the Congolese people on
how to rely more on expanding food crops instead of hunting apes.
-2003: U.S. government funded the Congo Basin Forest Project with $54 million to
set up more Bonobo conservation initiatives.
-Conservation groups like African Wildlife Foundation and Wide Fund for Nature
are drawing more and more concern for Bonobos—maybe by establishing a
permanent reserve area/park for Bonobos either in an impenetrable part of Africa
or on an Indonesian island so they are secluded and protected from threats but still
have all their natural resources.