Where to see Bonobos: history, social life, diet, habitat and more

Bonobos are historically known as the pigmy chimpanzee because of their closeness to the chimpanzee but with a slender body compared to the chimpanzee. Chimpanzee and bonobos are believed to originate from the same ancestral background. It is also believed that these two primates were separated by the formation of river Congo between 1.5 to 2 million years ago.

Together with chimpanzees, bonobos are believed to be the closest human relative sharing more than 98 percent of their DNA with that of human. unlike other great apes’ species, different bonobos are characterized with different facial appearance, the attribute only found in the human. Furthermore, like human, bonobos also engage in sex not only for reproduction purpose but for other benefits like reconciliation, releasing tension or for happiness.

Social life and family composition of bonobos

Like other great apes’, bonobos also leave in families. However, unlike other great apes’ species, bonobo families are led by the dominant female. Bonobos live in a highly social life where one group of bonobos is highly tolerant to the other groups of bonobos. Individuals from different group can share food, play with each other (note that bonobos are highly playful even the adult bonobos can engage in play), groom member of different group. The bonobos can also be seen sharing food with one another from different groups.

However, sometimes bonobos can be aggressive to one another like other primates, there aggressiveness can result into the death of for some bonobos. Though, the study show that normal bonobos are less aggressive compared to their cousins, the chimpanzees. The reason for the less aggressiveness of bonobos is attributed to the availability of plenty food in the areas where they live.

the leadership of the group

The social group of bonobos are led by the senior, most experienced female. The leader is the decision make of the group. Unlike other great apes like gorillas and chimps that acquires the dominancy through physical confrontation, bonobo leader acquires her authority through age, experience and ability to forge the alliance with other females in the group. The dominant female protects other immigrant female from the harassment that they can face from the male of the group

It is not uncommon for a male bonobo to for an alliance with the alpha female and through this partnership, the male will out rank not only the other males but also other female in the group.

Male bonobos deriver their status from their mother position. Mother are always protective of their sons and sometimes they preserve for them the female to mate with. Always males avoid mating with their mother but there are no restrictions on which other female they can have sex with unlike in other apes where the sex relationship is restricted to alpha male.

However female bonobos tend to prefer males that are less aggressive that touch them with the gentle touch. Therefore, male bonobos that are less aggressive tend to mate with more female compared to their aggressive counter part. Bonobos tend to have sex for more than one time a day. Furthermore, bonobos can go as far as mouth kissing during sex.

relationship and alliance

Alliance between male bonobos is poorly developed even though female form a strong alliance between themselves and the bond between male and female bonobos is strongly developed. Mother bonobos tend to support their sons during conflict resolution and also as earlier stated reserve for them females to mate with in order to get the grand children

Since sex is communal with bonobo communities, males tend not to know their infants, and this leave the duty of child upbringing entirely for the female bonobos.

Diet of bonobos

Like other great apes’, bonobos are mainly herbivores feeding mainly on fruits and vegetables. However, they can also feed on small primates like monkeys and insects that are found within their inhabitants. Some research show that there is some cases of carnivores within the bonobos but these cases are very few.

Habitats (where to see bonobos)

Bonobos are found in democratic republic of Congo basin on the southern part of river Congo. unlike other great apes’, bonobos are only found in democratic republic of Congo in the forests around the south of Congo River. The interest fact is that the bonobo cousins in form of chimpanzees are found on the northern side of the river which makes it possible to trek both these great apes’ at once. These great apes’ can be trekked from Lomako-Yokolala Faunal Reserve, Salonga National Park which is a home to over 40% of bonobo population, Lac Tumba, the most accessible but with limited biodiversity

our safari packages that will lead you to encounter bonobos

The 7 Days Gorilla & Wildlife Safari Tour takes you on remarkable Wildlife Adventure in Uganda at Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Forest National Park.

Active African Vacations is here to organize 8 Days Uganda Gorilla, Culture, wildlife & Chimps Safari that can let you tour Uganda’s best safari destinations in the shortest time possible. This Uganda safari is organized in a way

The 9 Days Uganda Safari will take you to Jinja for the adventurous White water rafting, see the source of River Nile and proceed for wildlife viewing, nature walks