Rare Congo sanctuary protects orphan bonobos from poaching threat

In a quiet forested area on the outskirts of Kinshasa, a rare sanctuary is giving orphaned bonobos a second chance at life as poaching continues to threaten one of humanity’s closest relatives.

At the Lola ya Bonobo centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo, caregiver Micheline Nzonzi gently held a one-year-old bonobo, feeding and comforting the fragile orphan she will help raise for the next several years.

“Without me, without us, these bonobos cannot survive,” said Nzonzi, who has worked as a foster mother for 24 years. “They survive thanks to human affection.”

The sanctuary is the world’s only facility dedicated to orphaned bonobos, many of whom are rescued from poachers or taken from households where they were illegally kept after being captured for bushmeat.

Although bonobos are legally protected, hunting continues in parts of the Congo Basin, where demand for wild meat remains high. Conservation workers say bonobos often fetch higher prices because of their symbolic value as great apes.

“We are educating people not to kill bonobos,” said Arsène Madimba, an educator at the sanctuary. “They cannot be kept as pets and cannot be eaten. Because of poaching, orphaned bonobos are traded across the country.”

Bonobos raise their young for four to five years, making their population slow to recover. Conservation experts warn this leaves them highly vulnerable to habitat loss and hunting pressure.

Last year, Congolese authorities floated the idea of “bonobo credits,” a scheme similar to carbon credits that would reward communities for protecting forests. The plan has yet to be implemented.

Experts also point to cultural differences in attitudes toward primate meat in the region, which continue to fuel illegal trade despite bans intended to stop it.

Inside the sanctuary, dozens of adult bonobos live alongside 11 young ones, each assigned to a human foster mother who cares for them until they are strong enough to join larger social groups.

In rare cases, some bonobos may eventually return to the wild after years of rehabilitation.

Scientists estimate that only about 20,000 bonobos remain in the wild today, down from around 100,000 in the 1980s, a sharp decline driven mainly by the bushmeat trade.

Known for sharing nearly 99 percent of human DNA, bonobos are considered among the closest living relatives of humans. They are also noted for their peaceful social behavior and female-led groups.

Despite protections, illegal trade continues in markets around Kinshasa, where wildlife meat is still sold secretly, including primates in some cases.

Sanctuary workers say rescued babies often form strong emotional bonds with caregivers, recognizing them individually. During feeding time, bonobos gather excitedly, sometimes even showing gestures interpreted as gratitude.