Friends of Bonobos
DR Congo / USA · 4.32°S · 15.31°E
Rescuing orphaned bonobos and safeguarding the Congo rainforest that keeps them alive.
About Friends of Bonobos
Friends of Bonobos runs the world's only bonobo sanctuary and rewilding programme, rescuing orphaned apes and returning them to protected rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Bonobos are found in the wild only in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and they could vanish within our lifetime. Poaching for the illegal wildlife and bushmeat trades, much of it driven by deep poverty, together with the loss of their forest home, leaves orphaned infants behind and threatens the survival of the species.
Friends of Bonobos works across four connected fronts. It rescues trafficked and orphaned bonobos and gives them lifelong care at the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary, prepares and releases suitable individuals into a protected community reserve, helps local communities build livelihoods that do not depend on hunting, and runs education at home and abroad to grow support for the species.
This combination of hands-on rescue and long-term, systemic change is what sets the work apart. Released bonobos are monitored over the long term, and the model tackles the poverty that fuels the trade rather than just its symptoms. The organisation reports protecting around 120,000 acres of rainforest and reaching hundreds of thousands of people through local education.
Bonobos are remarkable for their peaceful, cooperative and female-led society, and they share almost ninety-nine per cent of our DNA. Supporting this work keeps orphans alive, returns them to the wild and protects the forests they need to thrive.
Rescue and sanctuary
Caring for bonobos orphaned by the illegal wildlife trade at the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary.
Rewild and protect
Returning bonobos to a protected community reserve and watching over them in the wild.
Tackle root causes
Easing poverty and hunger in nearby communities so hunting pressure on bonobos falls.
Education and awareness
Building support for bonobos through learning programmes at home in Congo and worldwide.
News from Friends of Bonobos
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