In the Congo Basin, ecotourism offers new hope for bonobos

Bonobos are as closely related to humans as chimpanzees, living in female-led groups where sexual contact is often used for defusing tension, reinforcing alliances, strengthening social bonds, and simply saying hello.

Yet for all their fascinating behaviors, relatively few people have had the opportunity to see these great apes in the wild. Bonobos live only in the lowland rainforests of the Congo Basin, where decades of conflict have left the tourism industry underdeveloped. At the same time, civil unrest, poverty, and an appetite for wild meat have driven poachers to target bonobos, which are now at risk of extinction.

WWF is betting, however, that tourism could help reverse the species’ decline. In Salonga National Park, the Bonobo Habituation Project is laying the groundwork by using trained trackers to help wild bonobos become accustomed to human presence. “Over time, trackers have been able to observe the animals for longer periods and collect data about their social habits,” says WWF’s Salonga National Park Director Terence Fuh Neba. “Full habituation is becoming a realistic goal.”

A sustainable trekking industry would boost the local economy, giving nearby communities more reason to protect these highly intelligent animals. With tourism infrastructure also under construction, bonobo trekking—and the species protections it affords—could become a reality as soon as 2028.