Author: admin

Bonobos have quite intriguing ways of approaching and solving fights. These peace-loving creatures essentially use their charms to pacify conflicts or to reconcile indifference.

For instance, if two bonobos were fighting, they would end up hugging or kissing each other, restoring harmony and peace to the tribe.

The behavior of bonobos towards sex is fascinating as well. In fact, a male bonobo inviting for food could also be inviting for sex. Male invite females, females invite males and other females.

Sex plays an important role in any bonobo’s society. The need to copulate is often displayed in various manners, displays, and genital contacts. In other words, bonobos are sexually active, and they get aroused pretty easily.

Earlier studies indicate that bonobos, unlike other creatures, has adapted the face-to-face copulation, much like what we humans do.

However, this early discovery was never recognized, not until the same findings resurfaced in the 70s. In fact, one out of three copulations was performed in humanlike mounting, which is amazing considering that chimps don’t adapt into such kind of position.

Other indicators include the willingness of the female bonobo to have sexual contact as indicated by its swelling pinkish genitals.

Genital rubbing between two adult bonobo females is also common, using special positions, resulting to squeals and grins. The same principle is also being practiced among male bonobos in different positions and variations.

Sex is indeed just part of bonobo’s day-to-day activities. While this often leaves an impression that they are the most “oversexed” species, but in their own world, they do it in a very relaxed and casual manner. Unlike in humans, bonobo’s sexual flares are rather quick, lasting only 13 seconds or less.

The excitement to food often results in sexual arousal. Or, some experts would rather believe that it’s due to competition. Whatever it is, the bonobo’s way to avoid conflict and fan out competition is to have sexual contact.

But bonobo’s sexual needs aren’t all related to food. For instance, out of jealousy, two male bonobos engage in a fight, and later on reunite, and perform genital-to-genital rubbing.

Routine activities resulting to petty misunderstandings that could have led to the use of force are literally calmed down using assurance or gestures of sex. Controlled studies have had these findings confirmed.

Sex as a means to pacify or diffuse conflicts is not unique to bonobos. However, bonobos seemed to understand how to incorporate sex as part of their natural social activities.

These peace-loving creatures have amazed scientists for years, which, if the same principles were to be applied to humans, suggest that coexistence not only exist on heterosexual partners.

Without a doubt, bonobo’s life cycle is truly interesting and at the same time intriguing. I wish to invite you to come to Africa and see them in the flesh.

Up close and Personal with Congo’s Elusive Bonobo Apes

The rare Bonobo Apes are perhaps the only jungle dwellers far more mysterious than the ‘unreachable’ Iyaelima people that have lived in the very heart of Congo since the dawn of time.

To see these great apes in their natural habitat is a memory for a lifetime. Several efforts and expeditions are being carried out to understand and save both species.

What’s with the Bonobo?

Bonobos are by far human’s closest relative in terms of DNA profiles. In other words, we share many similarities from behavior, social skills, the use of tools to get food, and to work together to achieve a common goal.

Thus, these intelligent creatures were thought to have evolved and separated from the common chimps for at least 1 million years.

The Amazing Body Structure

The Bonobo Chimp’s body structures are extraordinarily amazing! They can bend or walk easily thanks to their shorter legs.

Like humans, they can walk in an upright position, but experts believed that this gesture uses a lot of power. Apparently, the movements are slow and limited in that setup.

As compared to other great apes, they are relatively lighter, so they can climb up and down trees easily, swing between branches, or cling without using too much power.

In spite of their limited four-foot tall heights, their upper bodies are extremely strong and tough. Such dexterity and finesse allowed them to survive from the common predators – the leopards and snakes.

Bonobo’s Social Structure

The females rule bonobo’s society. Female daughters leave the troop while the sons keep lifelong mother-son connection. The young female bonobo will soon regain her standing in the society once she gives birth.

These great apes are peace loving creatures, which, presumably, due to its female leaders. They are also quite sensitive to each other’s needs as shown by gestures and other forms of physical contact.

Definitely, Nests Aren’t For Birds Only

One interesting bonobo trait is their nest building. The nest building is a regular evening chore using intertwined twigs and leaves in the forks of the trees.

It turns out that these nests give them the necessary protection against their predators. It’s also an excellent way to keep track of each other, and to show compassion by sharing the nest between adult bonobos.

Dwindling Population

The bonobo’s existence has now entered the endangered species scale. Only a few of them are out in the wild. The destruction of their habitat by humans, unscrupulous harvesting for food, and selling their babies to pet trades has resulted in a massive decline in population.

Deforestation for logging and roads paved the way for easy access in capturing them, as well as other forest species. The Wild Animal Park and San Diego Zoo are the last frontiers for bonobo’s existence.

Since 1960, the conservation efforts remained strong ensuring our future generations to witness these intelligent creatures.

Bonobo, otherwise known as “Pygmy Chimp” or “Left Bank Chimp,” is not a monkey, but an ape. Here’s why.

Apes Aren’t Monkeys. What Are They?

Many people are still confused what the difference between an ape and a monkey is. Apes evolved from monkeys about 25 million years ago and since then, were dubbed as “super monkeys.” Humans, subsequently, became “super apes.” In short, apes are far more advanced in many attributes that of monkeys. The same analogy applies to us, humans. You get the idea. In addition, apes don’t have tails and have relatively large brain size compared to their counterparts.

Over the years, we’ve lost many ape species. The six remaining species are the siamang, gibbon, orangutan, chimpanzee, gorilla, and bonobo. Majority of them are found in the great lands of Africa and Southeast Asia.

One Last Great Discovery

In 1926, the last species of great apes, the bonobos, were discovered. It took nearly 300 years since the last great apes classification. The reason couldn’t be simpler, and that bonobos were living in a small but dwindling place on the left bank of the Congo River.

The bonobos and chimps are considered the human’s closest cousins. The odd yet remarkable social structure, behavior, and intelligence ability have allowed us to take a glance of the origin of our own species.

Bonobos can walk in an upright position gracefully. Though, still, walking on all fours is less tiring and an energy saver.

Bonobos Are Getting Extinct

It’s sad to know that few years from now, bonobos will go extinct. Unlike other endangered species, bonobos don’t have national parks where they can go roam freely and safely. The continued human hunting, poaching, and encroachment into their habitat were among the top reasons why their population has been steadily reducing.

Scientists who have been studying the impact of humans towards bonobos have been raising the red flags ever since that if the current conditions remain, these great apes will soon disappear right before our very eyes!

Come and See the Great Bonobos

If you love wildlife, Africa is the last place to be. This great land is bustling with thousands of animal species not found in any other regions on Earth. Africa is a place where you get to see all of them under one ticket.

I’m inviting everyone to come to this place and see the bonobos in real life. My staff and I will create a special tour package to guarantee that your expectations are met.

UNITED NATIONS — Rwanda’s foreign minister on Monday dismissed claims that senior security officials are supporting the rebellion in the eastern Congo, saying that her country is being used as a “scapegoat” for its neighbor’s bloody conflict.

Louise Mushikiwabo denied allegations that high-ranking defense and military officials are aiding the rebellion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The claims were reported by Reuters, which quoted a recent closed briefing by the U.N. Group of Experts to a U.N. sanctions committee.

“Of course, Rwanda’s top army leadership in no way would be involved in destroying the peace they have been working very hard to build,” Mushikiwabo said at a news conference, citing Rwanda’s capture of Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda that led a 2009 peace agreement in the D.R.C.

“So far we have had report after report of allegations, but evidence has been very hard to come by,” she said.

Last week, the Congolese government sent a letter to the U.N. Security Council complaining of Rwandan involvement in its conflict.

Mushikiwabo defended Rwanda’s nomination by the African Union for a temporary spot on the Security Council, which has drawn criticism from some human rights groups. Mushikiwabo said Congo is creating a distraction and Rwanda is being made into a “scapegoat” for its neighbor’s internal problems.

An interim report submitted Friday by the U.N. Group of Experts makes no mention of the claims that Rwanda is supporting the rebels in the Congo.

Eastern Congo has been engulfed in fighting since the 1994 Rwanda genocide, in which at least 500,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered by Hutu militias before a Tutsi-led rebel army took power. More than a million Hutus fled across the border into the Congo, and Rwanda twice invaded to take action against Hutu militias.

The most recent wave of violence flared when a new rebel group known as M23, who were former rebels from the Tutsi ethnic group linked to Gen.

Bosco Ntaganda, claimed that they weren’t being paid and that the government had failed to hold up their end of the 2009 peace deal that integrated them into the army.

Ntaganda is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court and had been living freely and wearing the stripes of a Congolese army general but is now being pursued by the government.

The Congolese military launched an offensive in April against the M23 mutineers.

Last month, the United Nations said that 11 people claiming to be defectors from the new Congolese rebel group turned up at a U.N. peacekeeping base saying they were Rwandans who thought they were being recruited for the Rwandan army.

At the time, Mushikiwabo dismissed as “categorically false and dangerous” claims that Rwandans recruited and trained for the Rwandan army had instead been transferred to eastern Congo to fight for the rebels.

The Security Council on June 15 called for a “full investigation of credible reports of outside support to the armed groups” in Congo.

On Monday, Mushikiwabo warned that some websites and media linked to Congolese government were spreading bigotry against Rwandans.

“This is very reminiscent of the rhetoric just before the genocide in 1994,” she said.

Congo gorilla treks are exceptional in a way that travelers have a chance to meet and interact with two gorilla species unlike in other destination. Gorilla trekking can be done in Virunga National Park for mountain gorillas or eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Also, the two gorilla tours can be combined to ensure a more magical gorilla encounter.

The Virunga National Park can be accessed from Kisoro town in Southwestern Uganda. Kisoro town (Nearby town to the Boarder) is 2-3 hour drive from Kigali in Rwanda, and 6-8 hours from Kampala (Uganda’s Capital). The gorilla trekking rules and regulations in Congo are similar to those in Uganda and Rwanda and travelers must follow to ensure successful and peaceful encounters.

Congo’s Virunga National Park is home to 8 habituated gorilla families available for tracking all year round. Just like all 3 locations in central and East Africa where gorilla tourism takes place, gorilla trekking in Congo is a strictly run gorilla conservation project based on gorilla protection and safety. The guide, trackers, armed guards (to protect against threatening elephants) and porters lead visitors to where a family of the gorillas is located. Gorilla Permits into Congo cost $400 Per Person, which today stands as the cheapest option to see gorillas in their natural habitat.

Eastern lowland gorillas are peaceful and quiet apes – They can bark, roar or scream when the need arises. Gorillas never attack or become aggressive without provocation. The males may fight over females once in a while but only occasionally. Gorillas communicate using a variety of sounds or body language. They spend their day grooming, climbing, swinging on tree tops and playfully chasing each other. Their diet consists of leaves, stems, fruit and shrubs. They live in groups that are led by a dominant silverback. The other males in the group can choose to live as bachelor in the group before hopefully taking over from the dominant silverback or leave to find mates.

Mount Nyiragongo is a magnificent active volcano that features the world’s largest lava lake making it one of the few volcanoes in Africa that offers some of the top hiking and climbing possibilities. Standing as one of the great geological mysteries in the history of volcanic expedition is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo inside the greater Virunga National park  about 20kms north of the town of Goma and lake Kivu just on the western border of Rwanda. Goma is lies on the northern shores of Lake Kivu only one kilometer from the Rwandan border next to the town of Gisenyi.

The beautiful strato volcano is famous for persistent active volcanic activity in its huge crater lake on top of the summit any volcanic enthusiast would look no further but to peer down into the churning lava lake and see, hear hot gases exploding up gives you a chance of rare photography. Although predictable and safe for tourists, the time required to reach the summit depends on the normal fitness of each group of visitors. The topography changes in stages right through the climb, thick jungle filled with very big ant colonies and open out trees that house some reptiles.

The volcano’s forested lower slopes are a home to a variety of animals such as the bush bucks, the blue monkeys, colobus monkeys and baboons including man’s closest ape the chimpanzees offer a thrilling opportunity to experience the far-reaching views of the western arm of the Albertine rift while emerging up to the ascent of a 1.2 km diameter summit teemed with devoid vegetation of heather and ferns recovering from the remarkable violent volcanic eruptions.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, in the Sub-Saharan Central parts of Africa, is one of the most ideal destinations for honeymooners.

The country comprises of various places where couples on their honeymoons can opt for however, the following are some of the best and perfect places to opt for;

Virunga National Park

This is known as the oldest national park in the African continent and it is one of the only four Parks in the whole world where one can enjoy the interesting activity of trekking the rare endangered mountain gorillas.

Trekking of the endangered mountain gorillas is one of the most challenging activities as one will need to hike and search them in the thick forests of Virunga but trust me it is one of those activities you should ever get involved into at least once in life.

Though the activity is a bit challenging, the experience you get out of it is of a lifetime that you will not forget easily.

The trekking will take like 4 to 6 hours while searching for the gorillas, depending on where they spent their last night, and for that case, it means that you can also find the gorillas within less than that estimated time.

Once you meet the gorillas, you will have a face to face view of these great apes for only one hour. In that one hour you will be enjoying various behaviors of the gorillas plus taking as many photos as you can for great memories.

Couples on their honeymoon will definitely enjoy their time in Virunga National Park while enjoying and achieving a lifetime experience of trekking the endangered mountain gorillas as well as hiking the Nyiragongo Volcano.

Virunga’s top activities are; gorilla trekking, and the two days Nyiragongo hiking which will enable you meet the world’s largest lava lake resided at the summits of the volcano.

In order for you to enjoy these two interesting activities, you need to contact a reliable local tour agency in advance such as Eco Tours Congo to organize your honeymoon safari thoroughly well for you to attain memorable escapades.

The agency will therefore book for you the Nyiragongo hike permit and the Democratic Republic of Congo gorilla permit which you will need to possess in order for you to get involved in the two joyous activities in Virunga.

Arguably a Democratic Republic of Congo gorilla permit is the cheapest of all costing only US$ 400 as compared to those in Uganda and Rwanda, which also protect the rare endangered mountain gorillas, where their gorilla permits cost US$ 600 (in Uganda) and US$ 1500 (in Rwanda).

The Nyiragongo hike permit costs US$ 300 for you to be able get the stunning views of the bubbling lava lake at the summits of Nyiragongo Volcano.

Besides mountain gorilla trekking and Nyiragongo hiking, there are also many other enjoyable activities that couples will enjoy during their honeymoon safari, and these include; chimpanzee trekking, bird watching, spectacular views of Nyamuragira volcano (one of the most active volcanoes in Africa), and game viewing, among others.

Kahuzi Biega National Park

This is also an ideal honeymoon destination in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Whoever is planning for a honeymoon safari in the Democratic Republic of Congo should put Kahuzi-Biega as one of his/her top destinations to choose from.

The Park lies within a close proximity to the town of Bukavu in the eastern province of Democratic Republic of Congo, near the western bank of Lake Kivu and Rwanda border.

The Park is set in both mountainous and lowland terrains, and the most enjoyable activity in the Park is also gorilla trekking as it is in Virunga though the only difference here is that trekkers will be trekking the eastern lowland gorillas ahead of mountain gorillas.

The eastern lowland gorillas are not by far different to the mountain gorillas but there are ‘’of course’’ various characters that differentiate the two types of gorillas.

Therefore, it is always a great feeling if at all you not only trek the mountain gorillas in Virunga but also go on to trek the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega for great memorable escapades.

It will therefore be a great opportunity to couples who will choose to take their honeymoon safari in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as they will be able to trek both the endangered mountain gorillas and eastern lowland gorillas, of which Democratic Republic of Congo is the only country where these two gorilla types can be trekked at ago.

The price for a Democratic Republic of Congo gorilla permit remains constant (US$ 400), whether you are to trek the mountain gorillas or the eastern lowland gorillas.

However besides trekking the lowland gorillas, there are also many other wildlife species that you will view during your game viewing, such as; eastern chimpanzees, bush buffaloes, and bush elephants, among others plus a myriad of bird species.