For several reasons, it has been difficult to collect reliable population estimates of bonobos. They are found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They inhabit a remote, densely forested area, most of which is accessible only by footpaths, boat or bush plane. Current estimates range from 10,000 to 20,000 bonobos left in the wild—but what is clear is that the population, small to begin with, is fragmented and decreasing.

The threats impacting wild bonobos include: poaching, habitat degradation, human encroachment, and a lack of information about the species. Disease transmission also poses a greater threat as human contact increases; our close genetic relationship means that humans and great apes are susceptible to many of the same illnesses. For example, many gorillas and chimpanzees have succumbed to the ebola virus.

Photo © Bonobo Conservation Initiative

Deforestation

Subsistence agriculture in the Congo region relies on slash-and-burn farming, which is the practice of cutting and burning trees and vegetation to clear plots for planting crops. This practice quickly depletes the soil of its natural nutrients and requires the clearing of new plots every few planting cycles, driving agricultural activity deeper into the rainforest and encroaching upon bonobo habitat. As the DRC is achieving greater political stability, large-scale industrial agriculture is also posing a greater threat. Industrial agriculture requires vast amounts of land and resources and can come into conflict with conservation aims.

According to Global Forest Watch, the DRC has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, losing nearly 1.2 million acres of primary rainforest in 2020 alone. Logging in this region contributes to the degradation and destruction of bonobo habitat. It also allows hunters to enter previously inaccessible areas of the forest via logging roads, perpetuating the bushmeat trade.