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.
Data
compiled from The British Antarctic Study, NASA, Environment Canada,
UNEP, EPA and other sources as stated and credited Researched by Charles
Welch-Updated daily This Website is a project of the The Ozone Hole Inc.
a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization http://www.theozonehole.com
