Tour operators line up to take visitors to see the bonobos. As a result, bonobos there are faring well. kilometer Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve, we train and equip rangers to manage the protected area optimally. Through partner investments, AWF established two reserves in the DRC’s high-priority Maringa-Lopori-Wamba landscape. How does African Wildlife Foundation conserve bonobos and bonobo habitat? The number of bonobos killed for bushmeat is limited compared to other species, but because bonobos reproduce slowly, bushmeat hunting poses a dire threat. Some researchers estimate that tons of bushmeat are extracted daily in bonobo range areas. Today, commercial bushmeat hunting, supported by ever more trade routes, joins habitat loss as a top threat to bonobos. But those mores are dropping off under the influence of cultural outsiders and with tradition’s weakening hold on the young. This fragmentation heightens bonobos’ vulnerability to hunters and also isolates bonobo groups that must interbreed to remain viable.īonobos are endemic to the critically important Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve in the DRC Are bonobos hunted for the bushmeat trade?įor a long time, local taboos against hunting bonobos, who are so human-like, protected the peaceable apes. Struggling to survive, people who live in the Congo Basin slash and burn forest for conversion to agriculture, destroying and fragmenting bonobo habitat. How does deforestation impact bonobo populations? Today there are an estimated 15,000-20,000 wild bonobos remaining. Throughout their range, bonobos are increasingly at risk from human beings, who have killed them off to the point of endangerment. kilometers and is demarcated by three rivers, the Congo, Kasai, and Lualaba. Their forest habitat spans about 500,000 sq. Perhaps mainly because they live only in one place, and it is a remote place - deep in the rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Why are bonobos lesser known than chimps, gorillas, and orangutans? Such findings help fill in our picture of wild animal capacities and teach us about ourselves since we share an evolutionary ancestor with bonobos. In studies they demonstrate cooperation, sharing fruit treats and helping other bonobos - even strangers - access treats for no apparent reason other than helpfulness. In recent decades, bonobos have shed new light on human evolution and the cognitive capacities of nonhuman animals. Bonobos really like to play, even as adults - so much, that some researchers think the bonobo is the most playful species of all. They are also distinguished by tail tufts.īonobos’ vocalizations are higher-pitched - “peeps,” and “peep yelps.” You can hear these vocalizations and a breathy laugh when bonobos are on the receiving end of a tickle. Their hair is relatively long and often frames their faces from a natural middle part. Their faces are usually black, and their lips are bright pink as opposed to dark. But there are differences - bonobos are slender, with longer legs. To an untrained eye, it can be hard to distinguish the bonobo from the chimpanzee. chimpanzee: Are there any physical differences? Because of bonobos’ mellow ways, some call these great apes “hippie chimps” - the primates that make love, not war. They live in matriarchal groups and famously use sex as a social tool - to manage conflict and tension or even just say “hello.” This behavior aligns bonobos with humans, who also notably have sex for reasons besides reproduction - emotional bonding, for example. But bonobos, though sometimes violent, are more peaceable. Like chimpanzees, bonobos share more than 98 percent of DNA with humans. But often they know less about a primate that is equally close and just as fascinating - the bonobo, “the forgotten ape." Wildlife enthusiasts generally know a lot about our closest cousins in the natural world, chimpanzees. She is passionate about using storytelling and compelling content to convey the value and s. She oversees the development of articles and other content for AWF print marketing products such as the annual report. Jacqueline Conciatore is African Wildlife Foundation's Writer & Editorial Manager.
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