 |
| Bonobo photo courtesy PASA |
|
Salonga National Park is one of the last and grandest refuges for bonobos within the Democratic Republic of Congo. Dr. Gay Reinartz of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee has been managing the Bonobo Congo Biodiversity Initiative in Salonga for more than a decade, conducting ecological research on bonobo distribution, park capacity-building in support of anti-poaching efforts, and community outreach and poverty reduction in villages along the Salonga River.
Years of civil warfare have left a disrupted social and economic system, creating intense demand for the meat of wild animals (including bonobos). Scientists are only now returning to monitor bonobo populations, and to estimate post-war numbers and distribution. While political stability is being restored, this is a critical moment for bonobos in legally protected areas like Salonga National Park. In 2006, Great Ape Trust awarded $6,000 to help support the remote research and patrol camp at Etate, provide research and camping supplies, and food and salaries for the guards. They confirmed the presence of bonobos and elephants in the area, recorded two species of monkey for the first time in the area, and surprisingly found no evidence of antelope (antelope are commonly poached for food). In 2007, Great Ape Trust provided another $6,000 to expand surveillance and patrol efforts to an additional 80 square kilometers of forest adjacent to Etate. |
Great Ape Trust is certified by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums
