It is ironic that the Bonobo, a highly endangered ape found in the African Congo, suffered much during Congolese wars that ended in 2003.
Unlike aggressive Chimpanzees in Uganda, Tanzania, the Congo and other areas in Africa; it is said that the motto for the Congo-dwelling Bonobo could be “Make love not war.’
Adult bonobos are more likely to play together, than fight. Bonobos are also famous for sharing, and teaching other apes who are unfamiliar with any concept.
Chimpanzees are known to attack other apes who come into their territory, while Bonobos are not territorial.
Bonobos are on the IUCN Red List (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) due to hunting by humans, slash and burn agriculture, as well as newly-developing large scale agriculture. Hunters, who kill bonobos for bushmeat, sometimes are known to be able to get better access when the jungle has been cleared for agricultural reasons.
Populations have plummeted in the last 30 years and it is thought that fewer than 50,000 or 60,000 bonobos are left in the wild.
Bonobo Research
Bonobo studies at Johns Hopkins University in Iowa, USA, have centered on the theory that Bonobos are aware if they have knowledge that others do not. Research by Undergraduate Luke Townrow, and Assistant Professor Christopher Krupenye, looked into the “theory of mind” premise and Bonobos. By hiding grapes under containers while the apes are in the room and out of the room, the study showed that if one ape had been conditioned to find grapes in an area, the other chimp who saw the grapes moved, would show the first “ignorant” one where to find the food immediately, and thus know in advance that his compatriot would go the wrong way.
It is thought that a common ancestor of humans and bonobos, developed this trait millions of years ago.
February 14th is World Bonobo Day.
Sources
The endangered bonobo: Africa’s forgotten ape. (2022, February 12). African Wildlife Foundation. https://www.awf.org/blog/endangered-bonobo-africas-forgotten-ape
When Bonobos Know What You Don’t, They’ll Tell You. It’s a Sign of a Cognitive Ability Called ‘Theory of Mind’: A first-of-its-kind study suggests bonobos, like humans, can understand someone else’s lack of knowledge—and adjust their actions accordingly. (2025, February 5). Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-bonobos-know-what-you-dont-theyll-tell-you-its-a-sign-of-a-cognitive-ability-called-theory-of-mind-180985991/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
Bonobo. (2025, February 10). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonobo
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