Introducing Bonobos

Have you heard of bonobos?

Bonobo

Pan paniscus

Do the bonobos remind you of anything or anyone? Why?

The Great Apes

• And according to some scientists, humans are great apes, too.

•Bonobos

•Orangutans

•Gorillas

•Chimpanzees

Which is which?

Which is which?

Gorilla Bonobo Orangutan Chimpanzee

Meeting the bonobos• Bonobos are found in

only one country: the Democratic Republic of Congo.

• They inhabit the heart of the Congo Basin, the second largest rain forest on earth.

• This region is also home to a vast array of other wildlife species including leopard, forest elephant, sitatunga, bongo, okapi, forest buffalo, congo peacock, and a variety of primates.

Describe the physical characteristics of the bonobo.

Adult Females Adult Males

• Average weight is 31 kg/68.3 lbs

• Average height is 2.3 to 2.49 ft

• Average weight is 39 kg/86 lbs

• Average height is 2.40 to 2.72 ft

Bonobo Social Groups

• Bonobos live in groups of up to 100 individuals. Most groups have between 25-75 bonobos.

They form smaller groups during the day to forage.

• What is foraging?

57% of their diet is fruit

• Bonobos forage for fruit, nuts, seeds, sprouts, vegetation, and mushrooms.

• They eat various parts of plants, including the leaves, flowers, bark, stems, pith, and roots.

• They also eat insect larvae, earthworms, honey, eggs, and soil. Only sometimes do they eat small mammals and they very rarely hunt.

• You could say they are primarily vegetarians or herbivores.

• At night, bonobos re-group and build night nests in the trees

• These are made of branches, leaves, and other vegetation.

• As they prepare to sleep, bonobos fill the twilight with a symphony of soprano squeals. Their high-pitched vocalizations sound like a flock of exotic birds.

• Bonobos and people share more than 98% of the same genetic make-up (DNA).

• In our next lesson we will examine what other similarities – and differences – there are between bonobos and humans.