Bonobos, our closest relatives alongside chimpanzees, face severe threats in their only habitat in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with welfare and conservation imperatives deeply intertwined.
Bonobo welfare is compromised at multiple levels. Wild bonobos face hunting pressure, habitat fragmentation, and the trauma of witnessing and surviving trapping that orphans them. Orphan bonobos at Lola ya Bonobo show clear trauma responses and require extensive social rehabilitation before release is possible. The sanctuary model - using bonobos to teach each other social skills and releasing them to protected forests - represents an innovative approach to welfare rehabilitation with conservation outcomes. Continued conflict in DRC makes all conservation and welfare work extremely difficult and dangerous for local staff.