Bonobo monkeys are similar to Chimps. The major difference is their social behavior. Chimp communities are run by males, prone to fighting, group battles and infanticide. Bonobo communities are run by the females. They spend a large part of their day grooming each other, having sex with multiple partners and playing in groups. Bonobos show a great deal of compassion for each other and even for other animals. Their motto could
Bonobos having sex missionary style, a favorite sex position of the Bonobos
easily be “make love, not war”. Because the females have sex with all the males in the group, non of the males will kill the baby bonobos because there is no way of knowing whose baby is whose.
Recent studies have concluded that Bonobos also share like humans. Socially, the Bonobo monkey is the closest cousin to humans. Bonobos are strikingly human like. Learn more about Bonobos on Nova’s documentary video “Ape Genius”
