Matriarchy in the Congo Basin
In no other known ape society do female animals have as much influence as they do among bonobos. Bonobo females form stable alliances and often decide together who gets access to the best food sources. Not only are they the social centres of the groups, they also hunt like the males: they capture forest antelopes, monkeys and other mammals and share the spoils with group members.
Conflicts are rarely resolved with violence, but rather through closeness, reconciliation and cooperation. This creates an astonishingly peaceful social structure – a contrast to the more competitive chimpanzee groups.
Particularly exciting: the rank of males depends heavily on the status of their mothers. Social intelligence and how it is used also seems to be more important than physical strength among bonobos – a finding that fundamentally expands our understanding of primate societies.
Rainforest gardener
Bonobos are not only socially remarkable, but also ecologically indispensable. In search of fruit, they migrate long distances and spread seeds in the process – effectively "replanting" the rainforest. Without this seed dispersal, an important driver of regeneration would be missing. So, protecting bonobos also means protecting the tropical rainforest, one of the most species-rich ecosystems on our planet.
A habitat under pressure
Bonobos are found exclusively south of the Congo River in the dense lowland rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This mighty river separates them from their close relatives, the chimpanzees. However, it is precisely this limited habitat that makes them vulnerable: deforestation, hunting and increasing use of resources are taking their toll on the population. Without protection, not only will these extraordinary great apes disappear, but the rainforest will also lose one of its most important guardians.
Research that protects
In order to effectively conserve bonobos, we need to understand their behaviour. The Animal, Nature and Species Conservation Foundation therefore supports research projects conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Behavioural Biology. Researchers such as Prof. Dr Barbara Fruth and Dr Gottfried Hohmann have been documenting for decades how bonobos organise their social networks and how females are reintegrated into groups.
A key finding: young females leave their birth group when they reach sexual maturity and join a foreign community – a risky step, but one that is made easier by the support of older females. These act as mentors and ensure social integration. Such knowledge is crucial for the sensible planning of protected areas and for avoiding disturbances in social groups.
Invisible helpers: camera traps in the jungle
The tropical rainforest is dense, loud and full of life – but that is precisely why it is difficult to explore.
The tropical rainforest is dense, loud and full of life – but that is precisely what makes it difficult to explore. Often, all you can see are trees. To obtain data nonetheless, the research team uses camera traps. These inconspicuous devices are placed at strategic points in the forest, such as where bonobos climb tall trees to eat or sleep. Each of these "traffic hubs" provides valuable information about the routes, dwell times and food sources of numerous animal species – insights that extend far beyond bonobos.
For this to work, more than sophisticated technology is needed: someone has to regularly maintain and check the cameras and evaluate the results. This is precisely where the foundation comes in: it not only finances the equipment, but also the people who look after it. In this way, invisible forest paths are turned into reliable scientific data sets.
A particular highlight: in cooperation with the University of Konstanz, researcher Tanguy Deville was able to use these camera traps to show how intensively bonobos and other animals use fruit-bearing trees – further evidence of how much they contribute to the regeneration of the forest.
Why it all matters
- Bonobos demonstrate an alternative social model: less dominance, more cooperation.
- They are key species of the rainforest: without them, there would be less natural regeneration.
- Their habitat is under threat: protection requires knowledge – and long-term funding.
- On-site research enables precisely what later flows into protection programmes.
Those who protect bonobos are therefore protecting much more than just one species. They are protecting an ecosystem that stabilises our climate – and preserving a living example of how communities can function without violence.
Source: Prof. Dr. Barbara Fruth and Dr. Gottfried Hohmann, Max Planck Institute for Behavioural Biology, Links: www.bonobo-alive.org, www.ab.mpg.de
