Along with the chimpanzee, our closest living relative. Bonobos live only south of the Congo River, in societies where females hold unusual power, and they often settle conflicts through affectionate and sexual contact. They mainly eat fruit.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAfrica
HabitatRainforest
ColoursBlack
SizeMedium
Length70–83 cm (nose to rump, on all fours)
Weight34–60 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives introops
Lives for40 years
In the wild
- Where it lives
- A 500,000 km² area of the Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, south of the Congo River.
- What it eats
- Mainly fruit.
- Conservation
- Endangered (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
With the chimp, our closest living relative, and it settles arguments with affection.
Neither bonobos nor chimps swim well, so the Congo River may have split their ancestors into two species.
Bonobos typically live 40 years in captivity; their wild lifespan is unknown.
Often confused with
- Chimpanzee
Bonobos live south of the Congo River and chimpanzees north of it; chimps hunt far more, eating monkeys and small antelope.
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