BONOBO
(Pan paniscus)General
| HOME |
| GENERAL |
| HABITAT & DIET |
| SOCIETY |
| MATING SYSTEM |
| MALE vs. FEMALE |
| PREDATION |
| COMMUNICATION |
Photo courtesy www.daveliggett.com |
The Bonobo is a member of the Great Apes. Also known as the Pygmy Chimpanzee, or by the scientific name Pan paniscus , the bonobos are in an environment all their own. They are, however, more closely related to humans than they are to gorillas! We share 98.4% of our genetic make-up (The Bonobo Initiative, 2003), making them our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Males tend to be on average approximately 39 kg, and females approximately 30 kg (Pygmy Chimpanzee, 2000).
The lifespan of a Bonobo is about 50 years. They have the capability to use tools to acquire food (sticks in an ant hill) and organize "intricate social relationships" with each other and other groups. They are also abale to identify themselves in the mirror, which suggests a high capacity for cognitive development (Aquarium, 2003).
This page was created for an Animal Behavior course for Biology spring semester 2003
Davidson College
Literature Cited
Contact me at: mebryant@davidson.edu