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Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Cute Bonobos | National Geographic


we actually have two closest relatives

we actually have two closest relatives not one and bonobos and chimpanzees are

not one and bonobos and chimpanzees are

not one and bonobos and chimpanzees are like our cousins and it’s a little bit

like our cousins and it’s a little bit

like our cousins and it’s a little bit like having two first cousins they’re

like having two first cousins they’re

like having two first cousins they’re equally related to you but they’re

equally related to you but they’re

equally related to you but they’re different from each other one of the

different from each other one of the

different from each other one of the reasons people haven’t heard of them is

reasons people haven’t heard of them is

reasons people haven’t heard of them is because bonobos only live south of the

because bonobos only live south of the

because bonobos only live south of the Congo River in one country the

Congo River in one country the

Congo River in one country the Democratic Republic of Congo what humans

Democratic Republic of Congo what humans

Democratic Republic of Congo what humans naturally jump to is their sexual

naturally jump to is their sexual

naturally jump to is their sexual behavior the Kama Sutra is quite boring

behavior the Kama Sutra is quite boring

behavior the Kama Sutra is quite boring if you watch bonobos for a while but I

if you watch bonobos for a while but I

if you watch bonobos for a while but I think if bonobos could talk they would

think if bonobos could talk they would

think if bonobos could talk they would sort of be puzzled and say really what’s

sort of be puzzled and say really what’s

sort of be puzzled and say really what’s special about us is we are the only ape

special about us is we are the only ape

special about us is we are the only ape that doesn’t kill one of the ways that

that doesn’t kill one of the ways that

that doesn’t kill one of the ways that we’ve tried to understand bonobos

we’ve tried to understand bonobos

we’ve tried to understand bonobos psychology better is we’ve given them

psychology better is we’ve given them

psychology better is we’ve given them the opportunity to share with one

the opportunity to share with one

the opportunity to share with one another in a way that challenges ideas

another in a way that challenges ideas

another in a way that challenges ideas about how humans might be unique

about how humans might be unique

about how humans might be unique given that bonobos in the wild are not

given that bonobos in the wild are not

given that bonobos in the wild are not aggressive towards strangers and in fact

aggressive towards strangers and in fact

aggressive towards strangers and in fact are often seen interacting with them

are often seen interacting with them

are often seen interacting with them quite peacefully we thought well what a

quite peacefully we thought well what a

quite peacefully we thought well what a wonderful opportunity to test this idea

wonderful opportunity to test this idea

wonderful opportunity to test this idea we found that bonobos actually

we found that bonobos actually

we found that bonobos actually voluntarily help a stranger to get

voluntarily help a stranger to get

voluntarily help a stranger to get something that they want this has been

something that they want this has been

something that they want this has been found in little kids and many different

found in little kids and many different

found in little kids and many different cultures but it’s the first time that we

cultures but it’s the first time that we

cultures but it’s the first time that we found similar behaviors in non-human

found similar behaviors in non-human

found similar behaviors in non-human primate it tells us part of human

primate it tells us part of human

primate it tells us part of human altruism may be as a result of biology

altruism may be as a result of biology

altruism may be as a result of biology whether it goes to the degree of humans

whether it goes to the degree of humans

whether it goes to the degree of humans is then another question but at least in

is then another question but at least in

is then another question but at least in part of our DNA so once we knew that we

part of our DNA so once we knew that we

part of our DNA so once we knew that we got really interested what is it about

got really interested what is it about

got really interested what is it about bonobos emotionally that allows them to

bonobos emotionally that allows them to

bonobos emotionally that allows them to do this so one of the fun things that’s

do this so one of the fun things that’s

do this so one of the fun things that’s been used to understand how animals

been used to understand how animals

been used to understand how animals including humans feel about others is to

including humans feel about others is to

including humans feel about others is to look at contagious yawning we know that

look at contagious yawning we know that

look at contagious yawning we know that contagious yawning in humans develops in

contagious yawning in humans develops in

contagious yawning in humans develops in young infants right as they begin to

young infants right as they begin to

young infants right as they begin to have empathy towards others

have empathy towards others

have empathy towards others star recording this is my body group

star recording this is my body group

star recording this is my body group main session so we showed what we call

main session so we showed what we call

main session so we showed what we call bonobo TV they saw either a bonobo that

bonobo TV they saw either a bonobo that

bonobo TV they saw either a bonobo that they knew very well yawning or they saw

they knew very well yawning or they saw

they knew very well yawning or they saw bonobo they’d never seen before yawning

bonobo they’d never seen before yawning

bonobo they’d never seen before yawning when they saw the videos of the

when they saw the videos of the

when they saw the videos of the strangers yawning they yawn more often

strangers yawning they yawn more often

strangers yawning they yawn more often than when they saw the video of the

than when they saw the video of the

than when they saw the video of the bonobos they know yawning so it seems

bonobos they know yawning so it seems

bonobos they know yawning so it seems that bonobos have even a level of

that bonobos have even a level of

that bonobos have even a level of emotional engagement or even empathy

emotional engagement or even empathy

emotional engagement or even empathy towards strangers that we don’t see in

towards strangers that we don’t see in

towards strangers that we don’t see in other species here is a species that

other species here is a species that

other species here is a species that could teach us more about how to be

could teach us more about how to be

could teach us more about how to be humane then probably anything else in

humane then probably anything else in

humane then probably anything else in the world but they are in a place in the

the world but they are in a place in the

the world but they are in a place in the world that they are under a lot of

world that they are under a lot of

world that they are under a lot of pressure

most of the bonobos that we study the

most of the bonobos that we study the mothers has been killed by poachers and

mothers has been killed by poachers and

mothers has been killed by poachers and hunters and when there were little kid

hunters and when there were little kid

hunters and when there were little kid that were sold in the black market as

that were sold in the black market as

that were sold in the black market as pets

pets

pets Lola a bonobo sanctuary is an orphanage

Lola a bonobo sanctuary is an orphanage

Lola a bonobo sanctuary is an orphanage for bushmeat victims today I would say

for bushmeat victims today I would say

for bushmeat victims today I would say that things are harder than ever China

that things are harder than ever China

that things are harder than ever China and India are having a huge influence in

and India are having a huge influence in

and India are having a huge influence in central Africa you know our big fear was

central Africa you know our big fear was

central Africa you know our big fear was that there was going to be a perceived

that there was going to be a perceived

that there was going to be a perceived market for bush meat a perceived

market for bush meat a perceived

market for bush meat a perceived international market for pet great apes

international market for pet great apes

international market for pet great apes but the reality today is there’s a real

but the reality today is there’s a real

but the reality today is there’s a real market great apes are being sold for 50

market great apes are being sold for 50

market great apes are being sold for 50 to 300 thousand dollars each to zoos

to 300 thousand dollars each to zoos

to 300 thousand dollars each to zoos circuses and private individuals in

circuses and private individuals in

circuses and private individuals in terms of how many bonobos are remaining

terms of how many bonobos are remaining

terms of how many bonobos are remaining in the wild the short answer is scary

in the wild the short answer is scary

in the wild the short answer is scary few for each ape that leaves the country

few for each ape that leaves the country

few for each ape that leaves the country and actually is in a zoo in China you’re

and actually is in a zoo in China you’re

and actually is in a zoo in China you’re going to have lost at least two or three

going to have lost at least two or three

going to have lost at least two or three dozen to get that individual out you

dozen to get that individual out you

dozen to get that individual out you just can’t sustain those losses when

just can’t sustain those losses when

just can’t sustain those losses when you’re talking about a slow reproducing

you’re talking about a slow reproducing

you’re talking about a slow reproducing species like great apes the solution is

species like great apes the solution is

species like great apes the solution is to not only work hard to save those wild

to not only work hard to save those wild

to not only work hard to save those wild places to end the bushmeat trade which

places to end the bushmeat trade which

places to end the bushmeat trade which is what friends of bonobos

is what friends of bonobos

is what friends of bonobos is all about but also to engage with the

is all about but also to engage with the

is all about but also to engage with the Chinese that’s our goal to get people

Chinese that’s our goal to get people

Chinese that’s our goal to get people excited about bonobos just like we are

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