The Primate Pan Paniscus
...ng with some living in swamp forests. Bonobos sleep in nests that they build in trees, usually made at approximately sixty-five feet above the ground (Lee 125). In some wet regions, for example the Lake Tumba area, seasonal nomadism can be extensive. Since bonobos have no problem wading though shallow water, long-distance nomadism is quite common. This species uses a variety of locomotion patterns. While it mostly moves quadrupedally, more specifically by knuckle-walking, most often, the bonobo has been known to move bipedally on occasion (Lee 125). Bonobos are also agile in trees, being able to climb them and swing or leap between branches with ease. With major threats such as hunting and habitat loss, the bonobo is a highly endangered species. Traditional methods of slash and burn agriculture and commercial forestry are being used more and more in Central Zaire, causing many of the bonobo’s habitats to be destroyed, particularly in close proximity to villages and roads. Survival hunting for meat and profitable hunting of “bush meat” to supply large labor forces are both becoming increasingly common in Central Zaire, for bonobos are regarded as highly prized prey in Africa. Since the main defense mechanism of the bonobo is to flee into treetops, the species is becoming especially helpless to their sole predator, humans, for they can be easily surrounded and captured (Williams). They are also occasionally hunted for medicinal or magical purposes, since specific body parts are thought to enhance strength and sexual vigor. Since these remedies are widely available in areas, it is implied that large numbers of bonobos are being killed annually. Infant bonobos are usually captured and kept as pets or presented as gifts to visiting dignitaries. Feeding takes up about thirty percent of the day, either rummaging for their food from the forest floor or trees. Fruit comprises up the largest portion of the diet of bonobos, although they also incorporate a wide variety of other food items into their diet. They eat plant parts including fruit, nuts, stems, shoots, pith, leaves, roots, tubers and flowers. Bonobos will also eat mushroom every so often (De Waal). This species would mostly be called an herbivore, though invertebrates do sometimes make up a small part of their diet and consist of worms, grubs, and termites. O...