Order:
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Pongidae
Genus: Pan
Species: paniscus
Length: 2.3 to 3 feet (70 to 90 centimeters) from head to rump
Weight: 55 to 110 pounds (25 to 50 kilograms) in the wild; 66 to 135
pounds (30 to 61 kilograms) in zoos
Life span: unknown in the wild; over 50 years in zoos
Gestation: about 8 months
Number of young at birth: usually 1, rarely 2
Size at birth: 2.8 pounds (1.3 kilograms)
Age of maturity: 8 to 9 years
The Bonobo (Pan paniscus), sometimes called the Pygmy Chimpanzee, is one of the
two species comprising the genus Pan; both members of that genus are technically
"chimpanzees", though the term is frequently used to refer only to the other
member of the genus, Pan troglodytes, the Common Chimpanzee.
Bonobos diverged from Common Chimpanzees after the last Common Chimpanzee
ancestor diverged from its last common ancestor with humans. Since no species
other than ourselves have survived from the human line of that branching,
Bonobos and Common Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives, sharing
approximately 98.4% of their DNA with us. They communicate through primarily
vocal means, in a language that has not yet been deciphered; however, we do
understand some of their natural hand gestures, such as their invitation to
play. Bonobos are found only in the Congo River basin of central Africa.
Size—
Chimps and bonobos are about the same size, but bonobos are more slender and
have smaller heads and smaller ears. Food— Chimpanzees eat plant material as well as monkeys and other mammals
when they have the chance. Bonobos eat leaves, stems, fruits, worms,insects, and
sometimes small fish. Location— Bonobos are found only in a small part of one country in
Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire). The four subspecies
of “common” chimps range from western
to central Africa. Getting Along— When trouble comes between common chimps, they often fight
it out. They are also very protective of their territory and will kill chimps
from another group, called a troop, if they try to move in. Bonobos don’t seem
to have established territories, and they tend to handle any squabbles or
tension by using different sexual behaviors instead of aggression. Looks— Bonobos can walk upright more easily than common chimps can. They
also keep their white rump patch for life, while the patch darkens with age in
chimps. And bonobos have hair on their head that parts right down the middle
To learn more about Bonobos,
Chimpanzees, Orangutans and Gorillas visit and join the following organizations
by clicking on their logo.
