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Of
the five new chimps now in quarantine at
Chimpanzee Eden, at least one of them is a
Bonobo, or pygmy chimpanzee. According to
Sanctuary Manager, Phillip Cronje, Bonobos are
more endangered than Common Chimpanzees, and
there are a lot fewer of them.
“It is fantastic that we can play a part in
conserving them,” he says.
As the Angolan chimps arrived malnourished, it
is difficult to tell if there are other Bonobos
among them, but there is a possibility that one
of the females could also be one. If so, there
is exciting potential for Bonobo breeding at the
Sanctuary.
“We will obviously ensure that we do not
interbreed the species,” says Cronje, who adds
that apart from their physical differences, the
two species also have different behaviours.
“For example, in Common Chimpanzee families,
the males are dominant, but among Bonobos, the
females rule the roost,” he says.
According to online encyclopedia Wikipedia, the
Bonobo’s “head is smaller than that of the
Common Chimpanzee but has a higher forehead…
The Bonobo also have slim upper bodies, narrow
shoulders, thin necks, and long legs compared
with the Common Chimpanzee.” The Bonobo also
has red lips.
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