How bonobo sanctuaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo care for orphaned animals and contribute to conservation.
Bonobo sanctuary welfare is one of the most intensive and costly in primate conservation. Orphaned bonobos that have witnessed their mothers' killing and been sold through the exotic pet trade arrive in states of severe psychological trauma that require years of intensive one-on-one care before social integration is possible. The welfare work of bonding traumatised individuals into stable social groups, achieving the trust and social competence needed for eventual forest release, and maintaining the social complexity of a matriarchal primate community in a sanctuary setting represents some of the most demanding animal welfare work in existence. Supporting Lola ya Bonobo is supporting both individual animal welfare and species conservation simultaneously.