Tess 7N

BONOBOS

Bonobo's (Pan paniscus) are similar to the Chimpanzee. Just like the chimps they have the distinction of being our closest relatives.

Where they live.
The Bonobo's are only found in northern Zaire and only in they last few decades have people been studying them intensively.

The Bonobo is the smallest of all chimpanzees. An adult female is about 70-76 cm and 68 pounds. An adult male is about 73-83 cm and 86 pounds. The Bonobo has longer legs than other chimpanzee. The Bonobos hair on their body is bushy and can be black or brown. On the top of the Bonobos' heads they have a part in the middle. They have darker faces than other chimpanzees.
Lifespan
In the wild, Bonobos live to be about 40 years old.

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Sarah 7N

BONOBO

Bonobos are said to be a lot like a chimpanzee. However Bonobos are actually a lot more graceful than chimpanzees. They have a smaller
Skull and a flatter face.

Bonobos are social animals which manage to peacefully co-exist in large groups numbering over 100 members.

Fruits are the main food source of the Bonobos diet but they also eat a range of foods such as; pith, leaves, flowers, seeds and invertebrates. Bonobos also eat small mammals, but unlike the chimpanzee, they are rarely seen hunting for meat.

Female Bonobos normally give birth to a single young, with five year intervals between each. Male Bonobos usually stay with the mother's group for life.

Population
Although there is no way to know the exact number of Bonobos, estimate show that fewer than 25,000 survive in suitable habitats. One particular estimate based on the density of the population shows that there are fewer than 5,400 Bonobos remaining.

Threats
Bonobos are threatened by habitat loss and hunting. Bonobos are often
hunted for medical or magical purposes. Some Bonobo body parts are
thought to enhance human strength.

Bonobos have a low population, this combined with their slow reproduction
rate makes the species extremely vulnerable to hunting and habitat loss.

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By Caitlin, Kym and Kristen

The Bonobo is the smallest chimpanzee. The female is about 70 to 76cm tall
and about 68 pounds. The male is about 73 to 83cm tall and about 86 pounds.
The Bonobo has longer legs than the chimpanzee; their hair is bushy and dark
brown on most of their body. Wild Bonobos live to be 40 years old and in
zoos they can live to be 60 years.
Bonobos live in the humid rainforest in Africa, mainly south of the Zaire
River and can sometimes be found in the Congo. Bonobos mainly live in trees,
but sometimes on the ground. Bonobos live in social groups in these places
Bonobos mainly eat fruit but also eat insects, small mammals and fish.
Bonobos can give birth when they are about 13 or 14 years old. The gestation
period is 230-240 days. After the baby is born the mother takes care of it
for 3 or 4 years.
If a Bonobo feels threatened by an enemy they sometimes use sticks to defend
themselves. Their biggest enemy is humans. Humans are destroying their
habitat. There less than 20 000 Bonobos still alive.

Caitlin, Kym and Kristen
Anzac Hill High School
Alice Springs
Australia

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