lolo & lukuru

Sweet little Lomela is definately the bigshot at the nursery. Since Kata is now BFF with Eleke, Lolo's has transferred her considerable affections to Lukuru - the smallest in the nursery. They make quite a pair - Lomela has eaten her way into her six year old body and Lukuru is still barely bigger than a banana.

Lolo watches over Lukuru every night in her nearby box, and the mamas often come in to find Lomela staring at Lukuru lovingly. Mama Micheline is both Lomela's substitute mother and Lukurus, and so the rest of the mamas call them sisters:)

Lomela grabs Lukuru's foot!

Mini sasquatch for adoption at Lola!

Some of you might remember the post I did about Bigfoot

http://bonobohandshake.blogspot.com/2008/08/bigfoot.html

Well someone stole my photo and entered it into a Bigfoot competition! and it came runner up!!

http://www.fieldandstream.com/article_gallery/Trail-Cam-Contest-Winners-Sasquatch-Photos/2

Supersleuth Loren Coleman tracked me down - i laughed so hard I spat out my tea!

Anyway the winner?

Bigfoot with the ipod of course!

So adopt your 'mini bigfoot' now! www.friendsofbonobos.org/support.htm

call for television ideas!

hey everyone, you never know who's out there, so i'm doing a shout out to see if anyone has any television contacts.

Lola is releasing a group of bonobos this summer, and they are trying to find a production company to film it - does anyone have any ideas?

National Geographic said no already....

kata to the rescue!

after all the fun i make about Kata being a selfish little drama queen, she goes and ruins everything with this rare act of heroism...

it was an ordinary day in the nursery -

eleke was in trouble with mama esperance - he stole her shoe and was running all over the nursery with it, so mama esperance was yelling at him to give it back... when out of nowhere, kata steps, no, LEAPS between mama esperance and eleke and shields him with her body.

Mama Esperance couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. kata and eleke siezed their moment - eleke dropped the shoe and they both went and hid in the bushes.

look at that wrinkled consternation on kata's face (she's the one on the left)!

what a hero!

new years resolutions...

it's coming up to that time again, and i hope you've all got your new years resolutions ready!Personally, i'm going to try and lose all the (*&^^ weight i put on at thanksgiving and xmas - seirously whose dumb idea was it to have TWO food oriented holidays within a month of each other?

the nursery won't be staying up till midnight this year, they have to be in bed by 8 like every night, but i did get a little whisper of what they wanted to work on...

boyoma: i will not pick my nose in public

Lomela: more hugs!

Lukuru: grow bigger so no one steals my bananas

Masisi : bridge the divide between species - dogs have feelings too!

kata: change what? i'm perfect!

adopt a bonobo! www.friendsofbonobos.org/support.htm

Merry Xmas!!!

Brian & Alan Alda

A little while ago Alan Alda did an interview with Brian (hubby) at the NC zoo. The zoo doesn't have any bonobos, so Brian had to make do with chimps, but he shoved them in the interview anyway. The PBS special will air next year, will keep you guys updated for an airtime!

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/humanspark/featured/spark-blog-alan-alda-meets-the-chimps/174/

ps. for those of you who don't know who Alan Alda is, give you a clue - Hawkeye - M*A*S*H

A merry xmas from us...

Thank you to everyone who has donated to us for Christmas. This December we've raised $1500 - our biggest month of the year!

From everyone at Lola, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Especially in these times of economic turmoil, we know it's an especially tough Christmas. That people can still give to others, even in tough times, restores our faith in humanity, and gives us hope for the future.

To tell you all the truth, it's been tough for us to raise money in the US. Unlike almost any endangered species, not many people even know what a bonobo is, much less that they're our closest living relative and the most endangered ape in the world.

If you're a last minute shopper, like me, it's still not too late! give a donation or adopt one of our bonobos for you or someone else and you'll receive a certificate and our newsletter! www.friendsofbonbos.org/support.htm All donations are tax deductible!

So once again, thank you. I would especially like to thank the following people, who have giving generously this year. A special squeak for you all from the bonobos at Lola!

Sherri Schroeder
Yukishige Kawasaki
Neil Brooks
ANNA MARIA CZAJKOWSKA MAZZINI
Ian & Stacey Donnelly
Gemma Ellis
Paul Gartland
Steven & Dora Gomez
Marie Haroon
Jennifer Jefferson
Carine LE THANH
GIOVANNI MAZZINI
Lisa Recht
Nelly Schmücking
Edward Wobber
Christine Cichetti
Dorraine Job
Barnaby Ohrstrom
Maite Giraud
Jade Lee
Georgia Harley
John & Bretta Fox
Sara Gruen
Sarah Shimko

Theresa S
brigitta s
Maciej G
Annette R
Theresa S
Kevin C
Baerbel W

avoid xmas crowds - donate to charities!

There's nothing that sets my teeth on edge more than xmas shopping. I hate everything about it - the lines, the crowds, and most of all, the pressure of spending too much money on gifts i know people are going to chuck to the back of their cupboards. Of course if I was like my mother and did all my xmas shopping in October, I wouldn't have a problem, but the fact is, it's the 17th and I haven't set foot in a store and I know it's just going to get worse.

I'm all in for showering kids with fairy dresses and toy trucks, but for friends, family, and inlaws, Brian and I are taking a different tack this xmas.

We're donating to charities: the moon bears (all those stories of draining bear bile makes me so sad), the Catholic Relief Service, offsetting our carbon, and of course Lola.

The average US family spends $1000 a year on xmas - although with economic downturn, this year it's more like $700. I think Christmas is about giving to those less fortunate than ourselves, which then gives us a chance to be grateful for what we have.

So if anyone wants to avoid this

by giving this

go to www.friendsofbonobos.org/support.htm .

Lukuru!

just got a photo of little lukuru! Here she is!

it's quite an improvement if you think about what she looked like a few months ago.

Anyway, she's a fiesty little thing. I remember even when she was almost too weak to move she'd bite my finger if i came too close to her mama Henriette - imagine a tiny thing like that having the courage to bite a creature 50 times bigger than her to defend her adopted mother! The mamas say she's only gotten more courageous and that she's goign to be the alpha of the nursery before too long

Watch out Vanga!

Adopt a bonobo for xmas! www.friendsofbonobos.org/support.htm

news from the nursery

kata threw a corker of a tantrum yesterday, because Mama Esperance didn't give her milk before Lomela. Lolo tried to make up for it by hugging Kata with one hand and chugging her milk with the other, but Kata wasn't having any of it and screamed so loud the mamas 'thought she would die'.

Masisi is still looking after Sandoa who is getting stronger every day. she laughs and smiles a lot more but the mamas would like her to put on a little more weight.

Lukuru is turning out to be stronger than anyone thought possible - she clocked His Royal Highness Vanga one when he tried to steal her orange.

On the newborns, Kisantu's baby boy is called Nkumu, which is Bakongo for 'prince'. And he is indeed a little prince, his squinty little eyes have a royal air about them already. Grow strong Nkumu, you're our hope for the future!

It's not too late to adopt a bonobo for xmas! www.friendsofbonobos.org/support.htm

Sheryl's worried...

One of our favourite adoptive parents, Sheryl, said about the post 'happy thanksgiving':

This is where my animal rights ethics and wildlife conservation interests do not mesh. I believe every individual is important, and that sacrificing some for the good of the species is wrong. Personally, I’d prefer a well-armed patrol to protect the bonobos who are going to be released. This plan makes me queasy.

I understand how you feel, sheryl, and believe me, it is going to be tough to see any of the bonobos die, and some of them will. But we have to find a way to successfully release bonobos. we can't wait until they are all almost dead before we figure out a way that works.

I also used to think armed protection was best, but how do you protect an area that's 20,000 hectares? You'd need thousands of men and even they couldn't do it. How do you stop them using their guns to shoot other animals? Congo is crawling with armed men, and none of them have any qualms about using guns to extort the local population. And once you bring guns into it, you risk killing people, and this leads to village wars.

The people who know the land are the Po. The people who have the most to win from the bonobos surviving, are the Po. If you bring guns into it, then people will die, and in a country so rife with violence, let's try the peaceful way first.

Claudine on BBC news!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7755851.stm

Claudine in the House of Lords!

Our director and founder, Claudine Andre, has just won the inaugural Badham-Evans Award for Women’s Commitment to Wildlife from the Twycross Zoo in London!

She was presented with the award at the House of Lords in London, and heaps of famous people were there, including Susannah York, Stephanie Powers and Miranda Richardson, each of whom helped draw attention to Andre’s work and the bonobo’s plight. Richardson, who I think we all remember for her performance in Merlin said: “Claudine’s dedication to these animals is remarkable. It is now our responsibility to join her efforts.”

The Badham-Evans Award was named after Twycross Zoo founders Molly Badham and Nathalie Evans, and will “honour other women who have committed their lives to caring for and saving wildlife worldwide.”

Claudine has survived civil wars, economic strife, and personal danger to protect bonobos, one of the rarest great apes in the world. She created the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary in 1994 with one bonobo and we now have 63 orphaned bonobos at the 75-acre site near Kinshasa.

We love you Claudine! You are awesome!!

happy thanksgiving

orf. i would have posted this on time, except i was too busy scoffing turkey and then lolling on the couch in a tryptophan induced slumber.

news at lola is that the agreement between the Po and Lola ya Bonobo has been signed! a 20,000 hectare area near Basankusu is now officially the sitefor the bonobo release next year!

For those that don't know, this will be the world's first bonobo release. Every other great ape species has been reintroduced into the wild, except bonobos. Even though we could lose as many as half the animals we release, it's important to do this now so we can figure out a way that works, rather than leave it until we have the very last bonobos and THEN have to figure out how to release them.

Some of you have been curious about why we haven't already released all the bonobos back into the wild. It would save sanctuary running costs of $300,000 a year, and the bonobos would be better of the wild, wouldn't they?

The truth is, reintroduction is very risky. First you have to make sure the area is safe, and the bonobos you release wont be hunted and killed as soon as you let them go. Then you have to keep feeding the bonobos because the years they've spent in the sanctuary means they won't be able to find all their food. The area has to be large enough to have the feeding requirements, and isolated enough that they won't keep running into the nearest village to steal food from humans.

The site near Basankusu is perfect. The local Po community has agreed to become guardians for the bonobos, which will provide much more protection than hiring men with guns. The forest is full of fruiting trees and there are no other bonobos that will be in competition for resources.

Our vets are at the release site right now to sort out the logistics of how they'll manage the bonobos, where to hold equipment, facilities for medical emergencies, etc.

Watch this space for new developments.

sponsor a bonobo! www.friendsofbonobos.org/support.htm

bonobos in pants?

I had a chat to the lovely Andy Dunn of Bonobos yesterday, who, get this, does pants.

Brian was given some for his birthday, and unlike the usual American fat pants, these pants actually make Brian's bum look hot. This was Tatanga's face when he saw Brian in Bonobos this summer, who we all know had a little crush on Brian already...

So seeing as these totally cool pieces of wadrobe carried the name bonobos, I emailed Andy and asked if he'd be interested in becoming a sponsor. Who immediately rang me, and said yes, absolutely and even though they are still a new company, gave us a generous donation and sponsored all three bonobos, Lomela the charming, Kata the drama queen and Boyoma the terror.

So since our store doesn't have pants, if you want some that are stylish, affordable with the coolest name possible, visit www.bonobos.com. They ship in 2 days (heaps of time for xmas!) and they have a no hassles return policy. Let's help these two charming boys get their company started.

I just bought Brian (what else?) the Congos for xmas. The palm frond lining cracks me up.

Bonobos for Christmas!

For all the anxious adopted parents out there, here's the latest. Boyoma, shock horror, has totally calmed down. He has gone from being a royal terror, to being everyone's friend. He has stopped picking his nose and beating up on smaller bonobos - he's hardly recognisable! I hope he doens't change too much - I'll miss the old Boyoma!

Lukuru is good but still small, she's eating and drinking fine, and trying not to be jealous of Sandoa and Masisi, who has adopted the new orphan, just like she adopts dogs and chickens. Lomela is the sweetheart of the nursery, but growing huger by the day - she'll be ready to graduate to group 3 soon!

But the big news is - we have new items in our shop, just in time for xmas! now you can give gifts and support your little infants over in bonobo land.

There's the all new organic cotton T

Maternity shirts for sexy bonobo mamas

And even something for the little ones.

Visit the shop - www.cafepress.com/BonoboFriends and order now!

fighting in the congo - what this means for bonobos

I've had a few emails about fighting in the Congo and whether it will affect the bonobos. From what I can gather from the news, the rebel leader Nkundu is staging his own personal war in the east. Nkundu, FYI was a contender for the presidency of Congo in 2006, and when he wasn't on the final ticket, he took off east where he's been opposing the government ever since.

Of course no war will be good for the bonobos. Part of the problem is that the soldiers aren't usually paid, which means they hunt in the forest. There is no way to tell exactly how many bonobos will be killed. We do see a spike in orphans arriving at the sanctuary after a war, either because the soldiers aren't hungry enough to eat the infants or because they are so hungry they are hunting more than usual.

Having said that, the region of the fighting is not where the highest concentration of the bonobo population is, which is more in the middle than in the east. So we can hope the bonobos will remain unscathed, but I don't think this is very likely.

bonobos in an MRI?

Anonymous said...

I wonder what the protocol is these days for doing research into bonobo neurophsyiology, if there is one - has protocol been developed for, example, doing MRIs on these animals while still maintaining their freedom? Have bonobos from Lola Ya Bonobo been subjects in research beyond simple behavioral research?

Part of why I ask is because I want to research the physiological basis of intelligence, and I think an important part of intelligence research is research on our relatives, but certain ethical rules are in place, well-deservedly, to maintain the health and wellbeing of non-human primates. What kinds of experimentation would be okay under current ethical standards for using primates?

who are you and what kind of funding do you have? if you have say, squillions of bucks, can fly an MRI machine to Congo during on of the bonobo health checks, sure! the application procedure is right here www.friendsofbonobos.org/research.htm

They've done this at Emory before, with bonobos. Bill Hopkins did the research.

Of course you have to get the bonobos when they are asleep or anethestised. like this...

I'm back!

oooo, the beach was so lovely. now i am a nice caramel colour while my hubby who had to stay home is a pasty fish belly white.

Anyway - thanks for being patient, I had some interesting questions on bonobo handshake so I thought i'd answer them:



African Safari Stories said...

Hello there.

Is it true than the bonobo is the only creature other than man to have face to face intercourse?
October 28, 2008 8:06 PM

As far as I know ASS, they are. That's because, like humans, bonobo female vaginas are ventrally orientated (facing towards the stomach). Most other female animals have vaginas oriented towards the rear which facilitates, umm, doggy style. so it's easiest for both bonobos and humans to have sex face to face.

having said that, hubby aka famous Dr Brian Hare, says he has seen brown capuchin monkeys doing it face on. which means other animals probably do it to but not as frequently (or as comfortably) as bonobos and us.

Here is some face to face action.