Bonobo Research and Conservation

AWF’s latest surveys in the Congo Heartland show that the bonobos are in critical danger. Loss of habitat and a skyrocketing bushmeat trade have taken a toll on the population. Less than an estimated 100,000 bonobos remain. AWF, under the leadership of AWF primatologist Jef Dupain, is moving fast to understand this species in hopes of creating effective protection measures.

Bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans are members of the great ape family. Though closely resembling the chimpanzee, bonobos are recognized as a different species altogether.

Bonobos are closely related to humans, sharing 98.4 percent of our genetic makeup. Their similarity to humans has long been noted by indigenous people whose legends tell of bonobos showing men what foods were available in the forest.

The bonobo’s range is limited to about 350,000 square kilometers in the central African nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This habitat is increasingly fragmented by slash-and-burn agriculture and logging. Only a small portion of the bonobo’s habitat is currently protected, and unsustainable commercial hunting is a major threat.

Science is at the root of all of AWF’s work. The protection of the bonobo is no exception. Understanding where the bonobos live and their movement patterns, along with how they spend their time, is critical to finding solutions to protecting them.

Already, AWF’s research team has learned a lot about the bonobos – not an easy task given their patchy distribution. This data has helped AWF to work with the government of DRC to create a reserve that will begin to offer some protection for the bonobos. The 3,625 km² Faunal Reserve of Lomako-Yokokala is the DRC’s first reserve that formally recognizes the local community in the development of its management plan. Given that this forest has the potential to offer a home to half the world’s bonobo population, we think it is a huge step in the right direction.

In 2009, AWF finished construction of a scientific research center at the site historically known as "Ndele". This camp is available for researchers to further study bonobos, as well as a wealth of other fauna and flora with which the bonobos coexist. In addition, the research center serves as a place to help train and educate Congolese conservationists and researchers. Ultimately, the aim of this research center is to improve conservation measures in the Lomako forest at local, national and international levels.