Countdown to world’s first bonobo release
Starting Sunday, June 14th, WSPA will accompany a group of orphaned bonobos on a historic journey back to the wild. Traveling to a remote corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo, this is the first ever attempt to reintroduce our closest ape relation to their natural habitat.
Bonobos are vulnerable to habitat destruction and the bushmeat and pet trades. Infants, sold into the pet trade or left behind when their mothers are killed for meat, desperately need safety, care and attention.
Dave Eastham, WSPA’s Head of Wildlife, explains the significance of this work: “This is the first time we will see bonobos return to their natural habitat after a period of captivity. It is the culmination of many years of work by the dedicated staff at Lola ya Bonobo and WSPA is proud to have provided the veterinary equipment and expertise to make a life in the wild possible for these intelligent apes.”
clipped from: www.wspa-usa.org 