It’s generally thought that gorillas are our closest relative, but actually it’s
chimpanzees and the lesser known bonobo which share around 98.5% of our DNA. Chimps and bonobos are both part of the genus Pan.  But whilst they are seen as equally close to us genetically, their behaviour is markedly different. Bonobo’s definitely have more ‘human’ traits; their musular-skeletal frame is similar to Australopithecus, our early human ancestor, with slender shoulders and longer legs, they can walk upright on two legs, whereas chimps can only do this briefly. They also have a flatter face than chimps.

Bonobo’s live in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and it’s thought that when the Congo River was formed it divided members of the Pan genus, and so each developed separately. Chimps are more widely distributed over Central and West Africa.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][ultimate_info_table design_style=”design01″ color_scheme=”custom” icon_type=”none” img_width=”48″ icon_size=”32″ icon_color=”#333333″ icon_style=”none” icon_color_bg=”#ffffff” icon_color_border=”#333333″ icon_border_size=”1″ icon_border_radius=”500″ icon_border_spacing=”50″ color_bg_main=”#cbeddf” color_txt_main=”#000000″ package_heading=”Which do you think are more like humans?”]

BONOBO	CHIMPANZEE
(Pan paniscus)	(Pan troglodytes)
slender build, pink lips	robust build, dark lips
mother-son & bonds important female-female bonds important	male-male bonds important. female-female bonds weak
high pitched peep & yelp	low pitched hoot, scream, grunt
females form flat hierarchy no dominant males	linear relationships among males clear alpha-male, or coalition of males
Will not hunt other apes	Will hunt colobus monkeys
Will not kill to defend territory	aggressive patrolling of boundaries. will kill to defend
VERY frequent sexual behavior between all partner types	sexual behavior only for reproduction
sex used as a greeting and conflict resolution	high ranking males guard fertile females

 [/ultimate_info_table][vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Sources: animalfactguide.com; evolutionaryanthropology.duke.edu;

Images: bonobo vs. chimp – ngm.national geographic; [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Stunning aren't they? Enjoy the photo - there's only around 400 of them left.
They cling to life in small areas of forest on Sumatra, which is part of Indonesia, a country known for it's rapid deforestation. In the past 12 years, Indonesia cut down ancient forests the size of Ireland to make way for palm oil plantations. Together with poaching to supply the Chinese traditional 'medicine' market, their numbers are so low that it's unlikely they will survive much longer in the wild. Already, the Caspian, Javan, Balinese, and South China tigers are gone forever from this planet because of man.

Sumatran males measure around two metres (6.8 ft) from head to tail and weigh in about 136 kg (300 lb). Females are smaller. They're the smallest of tiger species, with thinner stripes and, unlike the others, they have webbed toes which makes them surprisingly powerful and fast swimmers. You definitely wouldn't want one of these cats after you..and they eat anything that moves!

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