Bonobos are humanity's closest living relatives alongside chimpanzees, and their welfare in the wild is under severe threat from bushmeat hunting, habitat loss, and the illegal pet trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Bonobo welfare intersects uniquely with their emotional and social complexity. Infant bonobos separated from their mothers through the bushmeat trade experience profound psychological trauma — bonobos form deep attachment bonds and orphaned infants show depression, post-traumatic stress responses, and severe developmental disruption without extensive rehabilitation. In sanctuaries, skilled carers and appropriate social groupings can partially repair this damage, but rehabilitation is a multi-year process. In the wild, the primary welfare threat is hunting: bonobos killed for bushmeat experience the acute suffering of a violent death, while survivors in increasingly fragmented populations face chronic resource stress. Supporting the DRC's sanctuary network and law enforcement capacity is the most direct welfare intervention available.