Become a Friend of Lola Ya Bonobo.
Sponsor “Friends of Bonobos” !
Friends of Bonobos
Friends of bonobos was created to help protect bonobos in their natural environment. We have two main objectives:
(1) to educate those in the United States about the plight of bonobos
(2) to mobilize support for Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. In doing this, we hope to contribute to Lola ya Bonobo's efforts to; rescue and rehabilitate orphaned bonobos who are victims of the illegal bushmeat and pet trades; educate Congolese youth and other environmental actors about bonobos; promote better knowledge and understanding of bonobos; and prepare for the reintroduction of rehabilitated orphan bonobos in an appropriate natural environment of the DRC.
Adopt a bonobo from Lola ya Bonobo!
LOLA YA BONOBO, the only bonobo sanctuary in the world, provides refuge to over 50 bonobos. Most of these arrived as small orphans, victims of the illegal tradein bush-meat and wildlife pets; they were often mutilated, always malnourished, and owed their survival to the caring attention of the sanctuary’s “substitute mothers” inthe Nursery. Once rehabilitated, the infants join the group of the juvenile and adult bonobos in over 60 acres of enclosed forest. By adopting one of the infant bonobos at LOLA YA BONOBO, you will ensure its continued well-being and that of all the Sanctuary’s bonobos.
For a contribution of US $20.00 per month for a year, you will receive:
• An adoption certificate;
• An electronic photo of your adopted bonobo
• The Sanctuary’s quarterly electronic newsletter
For those living in Europe who would like to adopt a bonobo, please visit our European site www.bonoboscongo.net
Adopt us!
The following bonobos are available for adoption:
Malou (female, 4 ½ years)
Seized at Paris’ CDG airport a few days before Christmas 2005
(see Newsletter #25)
Malou has made a tremendous recovery!
Sake (female, 2 ½ years)
The first in a series of bonobos rescued in Lodja, Sake was received at the Sanctuary in Mars 2007
(see Newsletter #32).
Sake is a little timid and remains glued to Espérance, her substitute mother,
typically clinging to her leg….
Boyoma (male, 4 years)
Boyoma was rescued from Mbandaka in January 2007 thanks to BCI (see Newsletter #30). His substitute mother is Micheline.
Received at the Sanctuary in April 2006
(see Newsletter #27)
, Vanga is already quite independent, but he adores his substitute mothers, Espérance and Yvonne. Vanga loves milk and all kinds of fruit, except bananas (which is surprising in a bonobo!)…
Visiting Lola ya Bonobo
Depending on space and national stability, we take a small number of paying visitors at Lola each year. Unfortunately we cannot afford to take visitors for free and must charge enough to cover food and board. For more information about visiting for Lola ya bonobo, if you speak French, please contact abc_visiteur@yahoo.fr.To download an application form click here
To download the conditions for visitors click here
In 2007, we are looking for volunteers to translate the Lola ya bonobo newsletters from French into English. If you can help, please contact us at friendsofbonobos@yahoo.com
Who is behind Friends of Bonobos*?
Friends of Bonobos board
Directors/Board members: Claudine André, Brian Hare, Susan Hartigan, Dominique Morel, Becky Rose, Mary Rose, Norm Rosen, Vanessa Woods.
Officers President: Dominique Morel
Secretary: Becky Rose
Treasurer: Susan Hartigan
Friends of Bonobos – Scientific Advisors
- Gay Reinartz, Bonobo Coordinator SSP Bonobos
- Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, Great Apes Trust, Iowa
- Jo Thompson, Lukuru Research Project
- Franz de Waal, Emory University
- Richard Wrangham, Harvard University
- Benjamin Beck, UICN reintroduction advisor, Great Apes Trust of Iowa
- Prof. Takeshi Furiuchi, Meiji-Gakuin University, Japan
*Friends of Bonobos was incorporated in Minnesota in June 2003 and is an exempt organization under section 503(c.)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
