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It’s generally thought that gorillas are our closest relative, but actually it’s
chbonobo mapimpanzees 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.

bonovo vs chimpgreat_apes_taxonomy

[/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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