Bonobos: amazing apes
trilby greene

1deep in the rain forests of central africa, a chorus of high-pitched shrieks rings out from the towering treetops. though they sound like strange birds, these singers don’t have feathers or wings. they are a rare and interesting breed of apes called bonobos.

2bonobos are often mistaken for chimpanzees. in fact, scientists didn’t even know bonobos existed until the early twentieth century, and they didn’t study bonobos in the wild until the 1970s. this is because bonobos are very hard to find. they only exist naturally in the area of africa known as the congo basin. fewer than 150 bonobos live in zoos around the world. about half of these animals live in zoos across america.

3one thing that makes bonobos so special is that they share many traits with humans. they look and act surprisingly like humans do. in fact, they share about 98 percent of their genes with human beings. this is not true of any other animal in the world. bonobos are much smarter than other apes. they can also walk on two feet more easily than any other ape can—even in the treetops.

4also like humans, bonobos are very emotional animals. they make different faces to show a friendly greeting, fear or distress, defeat, excitement, and play. they even pout when they are unhappy. if bonobos are in danger, they gather in the treetops to shout and wave sticks at their enemies. in captivity, they have been known to display such social behaviors as adopting orphans, assisting the elderly, and newcomers learn the ropes. bonobos have even learned to respond to human language.

5bonobos live in communities of 25 to 100 apes. each community breaks into smaller groups. these groups then travel during the day to look for food. unlike in chimpanzee groups, female bonobos rule the roost. bonobo societies are known to be peaceful. this is partly because they eat so many types of food that they don't have to compete with other animals for their meals. bonobos mostly eat fruit, but they also eat nuts, bark, twigs, leaves, flowers, roots, and stems. sometimes bonobos eat caterpillars or worms. their high-protein diet prevents them from having to eat meat unless it’s necessary.

6though bonobos don’t have many natural enemies, the number of bonobos in the wild has rapidly decreased. one reason is that political troubles have forced many people in the congo to leave their villages. these people then make their homes in the rain forest. this limits the land where bonobos can live. political problems have also stopped government efforts to create safe areas for bonobos. this leaves the apes unprotected from hunters and other human disturbances. it’s a good thing, then, that other groups are trying to bonobos. the bonobo conservation initiative (bci) is a group of scientists and concerned individuals who bonobos. the bci works to set up protected areas for bonobos, to teach the world about their situation, and to encourage others to save bonobos from disappearing from the wild.

1) according to the passage, which statement does not accurately describe the differences between bonobos and chimpanzees?
a) bonobos share more genes with humans than
chimpanzees do.
b) bonobos are in more danger of becoming extinct
than chimpanzees.
c) in bonobo groups, males are the leaders unlike
chimpanzee groups.
d) humans have been studying bonobos for a shorter
amount of time than chimpanzees.

2) according to section three, how are bonobos different from chimpanzees?
a) chimpanzees eat more.
b) bonobos are more common.
c) chimpanzees are friendlier.
d) bonobos are more intelligent.

3) according to the passage, which statement is not true about the decreasing population of bonobos?
a) the population of bonobos is decreasing quite
quickly.
b) the bonobos are losing their natural habitat, the
rain forest.
c) the government is taking action to create safe
zones for bonobos.
d) scientists and individuals are working together to protect bonobos.

4) according to the passage bonobo societies are peaceful because of their
a) diverse diet.
b) endangered habitat.
c) sophisticated genes.
d) emotional capabilities.