Bonobos, pan paniscus, are also known as pygmy, dwarf and gracile chimpanzees. They stand 2.4 to 3 feet (0.7 to 0.9 meters) tall and weigh 55 to 110 pounds (25 to 50 kilograms). Although bonobos are similar in appearance to that of common chimpanzees, they do have notable differences that make them distinguishable from them. Bonobos have smaller heads and ears in addition to more slender bodies and longer limbs. They also behave differently compared to common chimpanzees, making them a unique member of the great ape family.
Bonobos can only be found in a small section of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formally Zaire), which is located in Africa. They prefer to inhabit areas such as lowland rainforests and the like. Bonobos are very intelligent and social animals that live in groups which may contain as many as 150 individuals. They spend the majority of their time in the trees, and at night, they make nests out of twigs and leaves to rest in. Adult bonobos will sometimes even share nests with each other, which is unique among great apes. When traveling and foraging, they will often split into much smaller groups of around 3 to 6 individuals. The different groups don’t have established territories and are led by females. Whenever a squabble occurs or tensions rise, bonobo groups do not resort to aggression and instead handle things by using different sexual behaviors.
The diet of bonobos consists mainly of fruits, leaves and pith from stems. They will however, also eat insects, small mammals, fish, and even other bonobos. Their large size, combined with their ability to escape into the trees gives bonobos few natural predators. Crocodiles will sometimes eat them if they wander too close to the water and even other large primates will prey on them at times. This is usually the result of a territorial fight that turned really bad however, and is not very common.
There is no specific breeding season for bonobos, and females will only give birth every few years. Females may mate with any male within the group and will give birth to a single baby after an 8 month gestation period. For the first 2 years of their lives, the bonobo babies are practically helpless and must be carried everywhere by their mothers. The mothers will take care of their babies until they are 3 to 6 years old, with females becoming independent earlier than males. If the babies can survive long enough, then they can live to be up to 40 years old.
Bonobos are a critically endangered species, with only an estimated 10,000 remaining in the wild. Loss of natural habitat and illegal hunting both play a major part in their decline. After being captured, bonobos are either sold as pets or killed for their meat and to use their body parts for religious rituals as well as medicines. Thankfully, they are protected by law and there are other actions being taken to help ensure their survival as well. With any luck, such steps will help bonobos to repopulate and recover from their current threat of extinction. After all, such an intelligent, and genetically similar (bonobos share around 97% of the same genetic material as humans) creature deserves to live and prosper for future generations to see.
